Not dragged unwillingly to death

After two weeks it is again so far, we shall remember how God rescued His Own People from slavery (out of Egypt) and how Jesus presented himself to his heavenly Father as a sacrificial lamb.

The Nazarene master teacher, Jesus Christ, intended to show that he was not dragged unwillingly to death, but that he came forward of his own accord, to offer to the Father the sacrifice of obedience. For him it was important to do the will of his heavenly Father. His own will was subordinate to God’s Will. In case Jesus would be God, like so many Christians do believe, than he naturally would always have done his own will. Jesus was aware that nobody could do something to God but to him it was very easy to hurt and even to kill him. He therefore had reason enough to be afraid for what would happen if the Romans would catch him and would bring him to death. Because for him too he had to trust his heavenly Father for what would happen after he would be killed. In case he would be god than he would not have to worry because God can not die. But Jesus as an ordinary man of flesh and blood had everything to lose.

Jesus was that promised one of God, the Word of God, having come into the flesh. And that flesh had its weaknesses. He had to put his trust onto God when he offered himself as a sacrificial lamb, because God had to accept his offering.

Because Jesus managed to put his own will aside and to stay without sin, God accepted his ransom offering. That way the impalement of Jesus could bring victory over the curse of death, spoken out by God at the Garden of Eden.

At the mount of transfiguration the apostles had seen Jesus radiance of his face, and the gleaming whiteness of His raiment. The apostle Luke also told about Christ’s praying, as if the calm ecstasy of communion with the Father brought to the surface the hidden glory of this godly son. Jesus his faithful three could be ‘eye-witnesses of his majesty’ but lots of things that happened when Jesus was with them they did not understand. It took until Pentecost before they would be knowing what it was all about. concerning the transfiguration John explains the event, though his words go far beyond it, when he says,

‘We beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father.’

The apostles knew this man of flesh and blood, being a true human body, susceptible of hunger, pain, weariness. Soon they were going to loose him, getting to see him suffer by the torture of the Romans and his hanging at the wooden stake.

One thing that impresses every New Testament reader is their faith in the Lord and zeal for his cause. It was James and John who in their zeal (but not according to knowledge) wanted to call down fire from heaven upon the Samaritans because they did not promptly recognize and cordially receive the Master. It was Peter who first promptly confessed Jesus as the Christ and who drew his sword in the Master’s defence.

Jesus himself was a zealous temperament and naturally and properly was more drawn toward those of similar temperament, fervent.

There is a lesson here for us: if we would be closest to the Master, if most frequently privileged to have fellowship with him; we must cultivate this earnest, zealous spirit. Cold, calculating people may have other good qualities, but there is no room for coldness or even lukewarmness on the part of those who have once tasted that the Lord is gracious. The love enkindled should lead to a consuming zeal. Thus it was with Jesus and this was one of the reasons why he was beloved of the Father.

`The zeal of thine house hath consumed me.’ {#Ps 69:9 Joh 2:17 Ps 119:139 Jer 20:9 }

Let all who desire to be pleasing in the Lord’s sight become so filled with the same spirit of zeal for righteousness and truth that it will consume them as sacrifices upon the Lord’s altar. Thus they will be most pleasing in God’s sight through Jesus. As a rule, only the warm and zealous ever get free from Babylon. (Z. `98-112; R. 2289)

Let us therefore gather on Nisan 14 to show our connection to all who love God and His sent one and who appreciate the act of this sent one, only begotten son of God, who gave his life for many. Let us remember how Jesus offered himself to be taken up to Golgotha to hang there on a piece of wood with the notice of being the “King of the Jews”.

As a follower of Christ let us call others to come to recognise that Jesus is the sent one from God, God His only begotten son, who gave himself as a sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of many.

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The friends of ” this way” invite all Believers in the Atoning Blood of Jesus, our Redeemer, Mediator, and Intercessor, to attend the Annual Memorial Meal on 14 Nisan or Friday April 19 of the year 2019.

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Dutch version / Nederlandse versie (vanaf 6 april 2019): Niet onwillig naar de dood gesleept

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