"THE NIGHT BEFORE THE CROSS"

Post date: Apr 13, 2017 12:32:27 AM

“And He came out and went, as was His habit, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed Him. When He arrived at the place called Gethsemane, He said to them, pray continually that you may not fall into temptation. And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if You are willing, remove this cup of divine wrath from Me; yet not My will, but always Yours be done. Now an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, deeply distressed and anguished; almost to the point of death, He prayed more intently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down on the ground.” Luke 22:39-44

Things will definitely happen in your life for a purpose mostly when Jesus Christ is actively involved in your affairs; when you have decided to walk in absolute faithfulness and obedience to God divine and revealed principle; when you have elevated your spiritual knowledge to seek and to know Christ as Lord and savior; when you decide to remain in Him and do all things to His glory; when you are determined to honor God and put Him first in everything that will ever concern you, and when you are heavenly bound through grace and God’s enabling ability to manifest His glory on earth. Whatever happens to you will be according to His plans and God will not allow anything that will destroy His plans and His glory in your life to succeed even when they are stronger than you. when God plans anything, He make it happen; when God gives a vision, He make it happen; when God gives His promise, He make it happen; when God gives a dream, He make it happen, when God allows it to happen, He defends and secures it.

On the night before Christ died on the Cross, He did the following; 1. He took all of His disciples with Him to share a Jewish traditional Passover meal that commemorates the liberation of the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt and their freedom as a nation under Moses. At the conclusion of the meal, Christ instituted the Lord’s Super; “As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, take this and eat it, for this is my body. And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.” Matthew 26:26-28. Remember Judas also took part in this meal.

Just before the meal, He had washed their feet, signifying humility and desiring them to show the same kind of humility to others. “And since I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.’ John 13:14-15. Washing of feet is a sign that shows purification, acceptance, rest, cleaning and a departure from the old and readiness to begin a new thing. During the meal, Jesus Christ openly revealed Judas as the one who will betray Him. Showing that all through the time they were together, He knew and tolerated Judas’s presence with others, but him chance to think and act otherwise. When God is silent, it does not mean He does not know and had no plans to remedy the situation.

After the meal, Christ and His disciples went to Mount of Olives for an all-night prayer while Judas went somewhere else to perfect his plans. There he told them, Pray that you will not give in to temptation. He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.” Luke 22:40-44. When God’s will is tough on you, remember He is still with you; when He refuses to change His will; He will definitely reward you thereafter. For Prayers Click here