Willing Sacrifice

Often we hear it said that "God is in control" and "God can do anything" This is often taken to mean everything that happens is the responsibility and will of God. This is not so.  Remember in the beginning, God put the earth and everything in it under the control of his man Adam. In short order Adam gave this authority and control to the enemy of God thereby creating a separation between God and man. In response to Adam's treason (a perfect, loving, true, Creator Father) God made a promise to redeem man. More perfectly God made a way for man to be redeemed. Man must participate in this redemption by exercising his free will to obey God - a willing sacrifice.

And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? Matthew 21

***

109: Jesus’ Prayer In Gethsemane

Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46

Jesus’ Prayer In Gethsemane

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said to

them:

            “Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.”

            Jesus took with him Peter; also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, and went a little farther. Then he said to them:

            “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Tarry ye here, and watch with me.”

            Jesus went on a little farther, fell on his face on the ground, and prayed – saying:

            “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me; nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.”

            Then he returned to the three disciples and, finding them asleep, said to Peter:

            “Simon, sleepest thou? Couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”

            Jesus went away a second time and prayed, saying:

            “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.”

            Then he returned and found the three asleep again. Jesus left them a third time and prayed with the same intent and in the same words as before.

            When he returned to the three sleeping disciples, he said:

            “Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough, the hour is come. Behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go. Lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.”