SCRIP-BITS

Luke 22:42.     Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
 
Oh Friends, ignorance is something else yes! As the old people said, when you don’t hear, you feel. And I’m definitely feeling this morning with an aching back. I went to bed last night at a decent hour, but got side swiped when I decided to read a few pages of a novel I had on the go. Needless to say the novel was interesting and I lay in bed reading until I finished it at one thirty this morning. Hn! Now the problem is not that I didn’t get to sleep until late, but that I lay in bed all that time while reading, then continued by going right to sleep afterwards. And it’s not like I don’t know that I can’t do the reading in bed thing for any length of time, then go straight to sleep without my back aching when I get up. Where some people can lie in bed all day and have no problems, after five or six hours in bed, my back starts to act up. But such is the stubbornness and rebelliousness of man, that we insist on doing what we shouldn’t do, although we know the negative consequences that will arise from those negative actions. And my people, that’s the lesson our God wants to put before us this Holy Thursday morning; think before you act, consider the consequences before you put your hand, foot or mouth in the proverbial whatever it is. (smile) In fact the Lord’s been trying to teach us that since Adam was a little boy and ate the forbidden apple, when he knew full well he shouldn’t. But do we listen? Obviously not! For even in our childhood there’s that spirit of rebellion which causes us to go against the wishes of our parents and teachers. The same goes for when we achieve adulthood, for just look at our society today. Look at the numerous things we do, even though we know that they are wrong and the consequences can and/or will be painful, even disastrous. Oh my brethren, what is it in mankind that makes him think he can constantly disobey his Creator and not pay the price for that disobedience eh? I certainly don’t know nuh friends. But today we have a most excellent example of obedience in Jesus, who knowing the fate that awaited Him the next day on Calvary’s cross, and who had ample reason and opportunity to rebel, fortunately did not do it, else crapaud would certainly have smoked we pipe. And it’s not like He didn’t feel anxious and somewhat fearful, for who in human flesh wouldn’t be appalled at the thought of being cruelly and criminally nailed to a wooden cross and left to perish in the hot sun. Remember that though Jesus was God, here on earth He had all the human weakness and frailties except sin. But instead of out and out rebelling, what did He do? After the Last Supper, where He blessed His disciples with the body and blood of His spiritual self, He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, to spend some quiet, if agonizing time with His heavenly Father. And though He anguished over the upcoming events, even praying that the Father might excuse Him from the task at hand, He knew that that wasn’t possible, for it was that very event, crucifixion, sinless sacrifice, for which He had come to earth. Our Bit details His predicament and resolve in a few simple words. ‘Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.’ Yes my brethren, for us followers of Christ, it’s never really about our will, but our heavenly Father’s. Jesus even enshrined that in the example He gave us of prayer. ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.’ (Matt.6:10) That means our prayer is to be in conformity with God’s will, not the other way around. And if we think that Jesus didn’t endure real anxiety in the garden that fateful Holy Thursday night, just listen to what the Good Book says after He stated our Bit. ‘And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.’ (Luke 22:43-44) Oh my people, we can’t sweat to such an extent, without physical labour, unless we’re very anxious about something. The scholars claim: ‘Surely Jesus wrestles, not so much with death itself, but with His own destiny to be made the sin-bearer for all mankind for all the ages. The punishment that had to be borne for our sins brings Jesus to His knees in anguish.’ And why wouldn’t it eh, especially for a bunch of rebellious ingrates! And to buttress the fact that Jesus totally saw His role as doing God’s will, let’s look at several scriptures where He emphasizes it. First though, listen to Isaiah, who foresaw Jesus’ great dilemma. ‘The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters (those who struck me), and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair (beard). I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded (disgraced): therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.’ (Is.50:5-7) And that’s exactly what Jesus did! Now hear Him enshrine the Father’s will. It all comes from John’s gospel. The first example is after He’s spoken to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well and His disciples not knowing that fact, offer Him food, and He answers them thus: ‘Jesus saith unto them, My meat (food) is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.’ (John 4:34) Then, in talking about the Son’s relationship to the Father, He humbly declares: ‘I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just (righteous); because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.’ (John 5:30) And when saying that He’s the bread of life, Jesus offers these words as His earthly purpose. ‘For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.’ (John 6:38) And finally, in talking about being the light of the world, Jesus concludes: ‘And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.’ (John 8:29) Oh Friends, fellow believers and followers of Jesus Christ, on this Holy Thursday, when we commemorate the selfless sacrifice that Jesus suffered for us two thousand years ago, please, I sincerely plead with us, to take serious stock of ourselves, note any rebellious behaviour we have towards our heavenly father, and consequently Jesus, then purposely try to correct that ungodly behaviour with sincere repentance and prayer, so that in these very trying, confused and troubled times, we will measure up much better than ever to the character of Jesus, where He always considered the Father’s will before committing any action. I pray that as of this day, we’ll all come up a little higher, losing most of our rebelliousness, coming ever closer to the perfection that’s Jesus. In Jesus’ Holy Name, I pray. Amen. Much LOVE my people!…free will is nice to have…but it means being very disciplined…or facing negative consequences…  P.S. Oh Friends, our God is so wonderful that I came down here this morning with nothing to write about, feeling lousy, and consequently figuring that the Bit would be pretty late. But He didn’t even give me a chance to cry out to Him for help and guidance, but simply guided me to write about my aching back, because of my wilful disobedience to my physical problem, then everything just fell right into place. So how can I not sincerely LOVE, ADORE, PRAISE, THANK and WORSHIP Him eh? Much LOVE!