Jesus Loves Me

Yesterday was Palm Sunday. Jesus was celebrated with great praise.

Matthew 21:8 says " a great multitude spread their clothes on the road.." That picture sticks in my mind.... I can just see people who were so excited for the King to enter their city that they didn't want Him to even have to have His ride on the dirt. He deserved the very best they had to offer. Some fanned Him with palm leaves.

Praise to Hosanna in the Highest this week, and a week later, Jesus would have already been crucified and resurrected. Isn't that crazy? I am blown away by this every year.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, (Matthew 26:36-46)*, Jesus goes to pray. He asks the disciples to watch but they fall asleep. Not once,(26:40) but twice, (26:43) after he asked them to stay awake and watch. During this time, Jesus is sorrowful the Bible says. He asks God to "let this cup pass from Me" but then He says, "nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (26:39)

Jesus knew what had to be done. God's will needed to be accomplished. He knew He would have to hang on a cross, bearing the weight of our sin and He basically says "okay, it's not what I would will but it's God's so it has to be done."

The disciples couldn't even stay awake. Jesus was about to pave the way of salvation for everyone and take the worst punishment anyone at the time would endure and they sleep through His sorrow. After Jesus goes to pray, He comes back to the disciples and says " Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is a hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand." (26:45-46)

Man, I bet they felt sick, confused, full of regret. They couldn't keep their eyes open.

If you continue to read through chapter 26-27, you will find the rest of the story which I will write more about next week, but I want to bring up Matthew 26:51-52 first. I will paraphrase and give you a little backstory really quick.

Judas comes back with the chief priests and elders and a great multitude of people. Jesus already knew what was up, but He still allows Judas to greet Him. And then, one of the disciples draws his sword and cuts off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Jesus tells the disciple to put his sword away.

In Luke, 22:50-51, we read that Jesus actually says. "permit even this" and then reattaches the man's ear and heals him.

Why?

Those guys are going to capture Him, make Him suffer, and He is healing them. HE IS HEALING THEM. HE IS HEALING US. We were in the crowd shouting "crucify!"and He still hung there on that cross, He is still actively healing and forgiving us.

WHY??

Because, His will be done.

Because Jesus loves me.

LOVE!!

I got a video this past week of two girls I babysit singing "Jesus Loves Me" and I thought how appropriate to title this week's blog that. He loved me so much that He put our needs before His. He put His sorrow aside and took the punishment.

He loves me.

He loves you.

He loves us.

So please, I am on my hands and knees begging you, love Him back.

*Matthew 26:36-46 "Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.  “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.  So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Happy Easter!