John 18:14

John 18:14 says, Now Caiaphas was he, which gave council to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.  I think we can conclude from this that Jesus was never going to get a fair trial from the religious leaders.  The high priest, Caiaphas, had already determined it was better for Jesus to die.  Caiaphas did not understand that he was stating what Jesus was to do.  He wanted Jesus to die to keep things as they were.  Jesus was challenging the religious leaders actions and power, so He needed to be silenced.  If Jesus challenges some of our religious ideas or power today, it is the beliefs and power that need to die.  Verse fifteen adds, And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known to the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.  Of course, we might ask why the high priest had a castle, but we know that at times today religious leaders want or have their own castles. This other disciple is not named, but Matthew Henry believes he was not one of the twelve disciples.  He was known to Caiaphas and accepted into his palace.  Peter, who said he would follow Jesus anywhere, did not go in.  We need to be careful when we tell God how faithful we are going to be when we are basing it on our own strength.  Peter, I am sure believed, what he said. He was a man of action who believed in his own abilities.  Verse sixteen continues, But Peter stood at the door without.  Then went out that other disciple, that was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.  We see that the other disciple did not stay with Jesus but came back out.  Peter was at the door, but did not go in.  We may at times go where Jesus wants us, then falter if things go wrong.  Also, we may allow things going wrong to keep us from where Jesus wants us to be.  Neither the other disciple or Peter ended up where Jesus was.  Verse seventeen concludes, Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art thou not also one of this Man's disciples?  He saith, I am not.  Peter was confronted not by soldiers or religious leaders but by a damsel, and he faltered in his faith.  If we cannot stand in the face of the smallest threat, how will we stand at the greatest?  Peter failed Jesus then, and we may often do the same.

Today is Thanksgiving Day.  It is a day set aside to give thanks to God for keeping us safe another year.  It was a day the early settlers, undocumented immigrants by the way, celebrated with the now Native Americans.  They shared food and friendship.  They praised God.  What is Thanksgiving today?  People too often attempt to bar God from the celebration of the day.  Families still get together, but we seldom include others.  The day has been turned into a day of commerce more than a day of celebrating the blessings of God and reaching out to neighbors.  Some families don't get to celebrate together because someone has to work.  Others don't get to celebrate because someone has to shop for bargains.  We, as followers of Christ, need to make sure that we spend time thanking Him for His blessings.  If we refuse to shop on this day, then fewer people will have to work.  Some stores this year have decided to close again so their employees can spend time with their families.  We need to spend time with our families, but we need to also spend time praying for those less fortunate. Thanksgiving, like Christmas, has become too commercialized in my opinion.  We, as Christians, cannot control how the world celebrates the day, but we can control how we do. We need to make Thanksgiving Day a real day of thanks to God.  All that we have we owe to Him.

John 18:10

John 18:10 says, Then Simon Peter, having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear.  The servants name was Malchus.  The disciples had told Jesus that they now understood Who He was and why He came to earth, but Simon Peter did not react that way.  He was going to physically attack anyone that he felt was a challenge to what he thought Jesus should be.  We may at times be armed and ready for war when Jesus is calling us to act out of love.  Jesus did not need Peter to physically defend Him but to support Him with his prayers and obedience.  God does not need us to physically defeat the world today, but to reach out to the world with His love.  Anytime we act with hatred and violence, it is my opinion that we are not following God's will.  Peter thought he was doing the right thing, but he was acting on what Peter wanted.  We also need to realize the servant was not the one in charge.  Sometimes, we strike out at the wrong enemy.  Verse eleven adds, Then Jesus said unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?  Jesus was in effect asking Peter if he understood why Jesus came to earth.  It was a time, not to battle the world, but to accept the will of the Father.  We need to ask ourselves the same question today before we act, especially if we say we are acting in the name of God.  We need to make sure that we are not trying to force God to comply with our will.  It seems to me that we often act out of selfishness or anger instead of love.  Jesus was not being taken by those sent to arrest Him.  He was going willing toward the cross.  Verse twelve continues, Then the band and the captain and the officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound Him. They thought they had won, but they were only fulfilling the will of God.  For religious leaders to think they can bind the will of God is really humorous.  We today may attempt to bind up what God's word says to make it conform to our will, but it never will happen.  God's word will always prevail.  Verse thirteen concludes, And led Him away to Annas first, for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.  They did not take Jesus to the governmental rulers, but to the religious rulers.  If there is opposition to the will of God today, we need to make sure it does not come from us, as His followers.  We have a call to reach the lost with the love of God, and that means everyone who is lost, and not just those we want to reach.

John 18:4

John 18:4 says, Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth,and said, Whom seekest ye?  Jesus knew what He had come for and knew what He was going to do for humanity. He was no longer withdrawing, but now knew the time had come.  As followers of Christ, we need the same commitment.  If someone came to threaten us looking for Christians, we should be able to ask who they were looking for, even if we knew it was us. Verse five adds, They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth.  Jesus saith unto them, I am He.  And Judas also, which betrayed Him, was with them.  Sometimes, I think about the number of times Jesus started a statement about Himself with the words "I am."  I think of the Old Testament, when God said to Moses tell them "I Am" sends you. Jesus could truly say He was all the things He said He was, even Jesus of Nazareth.  We need to realize also that all things done against God in secret or in the dark will ultimately be brought to light.  Judas was no longer pretending to follow Jesus, because he thought he could profit from betraying Him.  Verse six continues, As soon as He had said unto them, I am He, they went backward, and fell to the ground.  They were looking for Jesus with armed men, but as soon as He told them they had found Him, they went backwards from Him and fell on the ground.  Even His enemies will ultimately fall at the feet of Jesus.  In the day of judgment, and in many ways this was a day of judgment for Judas and his band, there will be no place to fall back to.  All will ultimately face Jesus.  Verse seven states, Then asked He them again, Whom seek ye?  And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.  He had just told them that He was the One they were looking for, but He asked again.  Jesus will always ask if we really know Who He is.  We cannot be His if we doubt Him when He tells us Who He is.  We need to run to Him not fall away from Him. Verse eight adds, Jesus answered, I have told you I am He: if therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way.  The disciples could not go where Jesus was going, but they would later be called on to follow Him, even unto death.  Only Jesus could lay down His life for humanity.  He will always work to keep His followers safe if possible.  We will never be called on to do something of no benefit to God.  Verse nine continues, That the saying might be fulfilled, which He spake, Of them which Thou givest Me, I have lost none.  If we are His, we will never be lost to Him.  He will keep us by His power.

John 18:1

John 18:1 says, When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the brook of Cidron, where was a garden, into which He entered, and His disciples.  Jesus had just spent time talking with the Father, and now it was time to move ahead.  We need to spend time in prayer to know God's will for us each day, but once we know what His will for is, we need to move ahead.  We can still pray as we go, but we must go.  Verse two adds, And Judas, which betrayed Him, knew the place, for Jesus ofttimes drew thither to the place. We see at least two things here.  One, Judas was no longer following Jesus.  As long as we are truly following Jesus, we will not betray Him.  This does not mean that we will never do anything against His will, but that we will never deny Him as our Savior.  The second thing is that just as Judas knew where to find Jesus, the Devil knows where to find us.  We go about life fairly routinely, and the Devil knows how to get to us.  When we are constantly in prayer to God, we are ready for his attacks.  When we are going along on our own power and abilities, the Devil may lead us into sin.  Being a Christian does not make us immune to temptation, and the Devil knows when and how to appeal to us.  Verse three continues, Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.   We must remember that it was the religious leaders that were looking for Jesus to kill Him.  He came to be their Messiah, and they didn't want the salvation He offered.  Many in the name of religion today attempt to discredit the teachings of Christ.  If we ever say there is another way to salvation, we have followed the way of Judas, not the way of Jesus.  Judas had his own little army.  He went from follower of Christ physically, to a leader of men to oppose Him. We need to be more than followers in word alone and make sure that we are following in deed as well.  We may become more important in the eyes of the world, but we lose everything important if we do not truly follow Jesus.  They came with lights and weapons to arrest the Light of the World and the Prince of Peace.  They really didn't need either.  They were not overpowering Jesus, but He was ready to go forward and finish His task.  We need to rest assured that the world or the Devil himself can never overcome us.  Because of the willing sacrifice of Jesus, we are set free from the power of sin.  The Devil cannot make us do it.

John 17:22

John 17:22 says, And the glory thou gavest me have I given them, that they may be one, even as we are one.  We as His followers live in the glory of Jesus.  We do not live for our own glorify.  We live in His glory so that we may be united in our service to Him.  If we begin to feel that we need more glory because we do more than other Christians, then unity will not exist.  Verse twenty-three says, Jesus said, I in them, and thou in je, that they may be made perfect in one; that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.  Just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one, so are Christians to be.  We are to do this so we can be made perfect in faith and effectively present Jesus to the world.  When we do this, the world will see the love of God for us and through us.  As long as we are divided and bickering with one another as Christians, we cannot effectively present God to the world.  Verse twenty-four continues, Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am;  that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.  Jesus knew that when we are with Him in heaven, His glory will be manifested.  There will be no doubt.  Jesus also once again declared His eternal existence.  He was before the foundation of the world.  Many religions are based on the teachings of someone who came into existence on a certain day in history.  Christianity is based on One Who always existed.  This is the big divider.  Jesus always was, and He redeemed us, that we can be His forever.  Verse twenty-five states, Oh righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these hath known that thou hath sent me.  The world still doesn't acknowledge that Jesus was sent by God to be the Savior of the world, but we as His followers do.  Verse twenty-six adds, And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.  If we are followers of Jesus, He lives in us through the Holy Spirit and the love of God is manifested in us. There can be no greater reason to rejoice.

John 17:20

John 17:20 says, Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on Me through their word.  The disciples were to reach out to the world with the message of Christ, and Jesus Himself was praying for their success.  Jesus wanted them to be successful, not in material things, but in proclaiming Him to the world.  In this verse, He included us.  We believe because the disciples were successful in reaching the world with the message of Christ.  This verse also includes the ones we reach.  We need to question daily how effective we are in reaching the lost.  Jesus prayed for them, but He also prayed for the disciples and us to reach them.  Verse twenty-one adds, That they all may be one; as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.  Jesus prayed that the disciples then, and the ones to come, would be as united as the Father and the Son, and though not mentioned here, and the Holy Spirit are.  I think too often we put qualifiers in front of Christian.  We see the world more from a materialistic view, dividing Christians by nationality.  Often, we seem to feel no real unity with Christians around the world but see them as somehow less deserving of the things of this world than we are.  I have heard religious leaders, when speaking of Christians in the rest of the world say, "That is good enough for them."  This statement implies that we as followers of Christ should expect more than others around the world.  This is not the unity Jesus prayed for.  Even closer to home, we often do not want to be united with other Christians because of race or social standing.  We may occasionally get together with them at church for special occasions, but on a daily basis, we want to be separated from them.  We may occasionally do something to help them materially, as long as it doesn't cost us too much, but on a daily basis, they are on their own.  This is not unity in Christ.  We have to reach out to the lost, yes, but we also need to reach out to other Christians on a daily basis, so that the world may see Jesus in us.  As long as Christians do not embrace one another everywhere in the love of Christ, the world is not going to be reached.