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Daily Devotion: Matthew 26:30-35

Matthew 26:30-35    "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.  (31)  Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.  (32)  But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.  (33)  Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.  (34)  Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.  (35)  Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples."

Have you ever had good intentions, but failed to follow through with them? I think we all can identify with that situation.  "I really meant to ______, but I just couldn't get things going." - or "I really meant to ________ but something came up at the last minute."  - or - "I really meant to ________, but I just didn't want to do it."  

For the disciples, they really "meant to" stand strong with Jesus, but they just weren't strong enough to do it.  Even when Jesus told them that they would be offended because of Him, they really meant to show Him that He was wrong.  We will stand by you!  Peter was even more adamant, "I will never be offended because of you."  I will go to prison for you. I will even die for you, but I will never be offended because of you. They were in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus would spend much needed time in prayer to the Father.  "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."  He was in deep agony, so much that He sweat as it were great drops of blood.

The "pressure" of the sins of all His people was going to be placed on Him.  He Who had never done anything that was contrary to His Father, was going to be made sin.  The weight was unbearable for anyone else, except Jesus. All the disciples had great intentions of staying with Him throughout the entire ordeal. They were going to stand strong and stand tall, but they couldn't even stay awake while He was in such intense prayer.  The bottom line is that you and I know they ALL forsook Him and ran away when the Roman soldiers took Jesus away.  Yes, Peter denied Him three times, just like Jesus said He would do. Their good intentions went away in the wind.

But Jesus....   Jesus came to this earth to "save His people from their sins."  That was His intent and focus. Yes, He taught wonderful lessons. He performed incredible miracles, but that did not sidetrack Him. His focus was on His purpose for coming from heaven to earth.  So, was He trying to change His mind when He asked for the cup to be removed?  My answer is an emphatic, NO!  Jesus was not trying to find another way to save His people, but His agony was because His loving Father in Heaven was going to turn His face away from Him while hanging on the cross. Jesus was always in His Father's will. Remember that voice?  "This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased."  But in a few hours, the beautiful communion between Father and Son would be broken for three earthly hours.  That was almost unbearable for Jesus.  But He followed through with His intention to redeem His people from our sins.

We all have good intentions, but would it not be better if we follow the example given to us by Jesus?  This same thought was given in James 4:15, "For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."   May our intention in the next few days be to give thought to the work which was accomplished by our precious Lord as He was nailed to that cross.

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