JESUS (12).

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*JESUS (12)*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Matt 26: 31-35

*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.*

*But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.*

*Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.*

*Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.*

*Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

You can never feel the pain of what you have not experienced.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

Jesus teaches the pains of those who faithfully follow Him. He teaches us the pains and both the earthly and eternal blessings that come to those who follow Him.

In Matt 26:31-35, Peter was wishing he would die with Jesus.

John 13:36-38 tells us that *"Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.*

*Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.*

*Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.*

In both Matt 26: 35 and John 13: 37, Peter told Jesus *"....Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.* and *".....l will lay down my life for thy sake.* respectively.

Peter was assuming the feeling of a pain he should never imagine to experience. He can not die with or go to the cross with Him.

The same thing Jesus told the sons of Zebedee when their mother asked if her two sons (James and John) could be granted in Jesus' Kingdom to sit one on Jesus' right hand and the other on His left.

Jesus asked them if they would be able

*"......to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?"* They said they were able.

The cup signifies the suffering of the faith (the persecution, martyrdom) ref Matt 26:39, 42.

Jesus said they would drink the cup and James eventually did (Acts 12) and his brother would later drink the cup as a martyr also but to determine at that time if they would sit on His either side would depend on how well they would finish in the Kingdom, Matt 20:20-23.

How often do we wish the pain of what we have never experienced?

Peter was wishing he would die with Jesus, the mother of the sons of Zebedee was wishing good leadership positions for her two children and when the price of such positions were made known to them they both accepted not knowing the pain that would be involved.

We assume pain. We want big positions not knowing the price that needs to be paid.

Jesus was teaching people who often wish for honour, prestige, achievements on an easy and cozy path not knowing the hardwork, pain, etc that are involved.

To die for Christ is beyond any human abilities. Human lives are too incapable of taking away sin.

Heb 12:4 says no one has yet struggled to the point of shedding blood in their striving against sin.

To ask to die for Christ or seek for titles, positions without consideration the strict life of holiness, fasting and prayer etc that accompany pleasing Christ is like asking for an easy path of fame, money, prestige etc.

There are pains of serving God

There are small beginnings, times of hardship and hardness etc, (Zech 4:10, 2 Tim 2:3).

When great men of God talk about their pains they know what they are saying. People who fail to understand or dispute this or wish to deceive people, are people who parade or say things that deceive people giving them the false impression that they are experiencing pains they have never experienced.

*Remorse corner.*

False prophets can never feel the pains of following Christ because they have never experienced what following Christ faithfully means.

*Call to Word action.*

Peter, James and John were opportuned to be under Christ's teaching. Christ was able to show them that they could never feel the pain of what they have not experienced. Time brought the pains. The painful experience of persecution prepared them for their eventual martyrdom.

*The Christian clarion duty.*

We can not die for Christ

We can however live for Christ and at the same time die in our sins, Gal 2:20, and be partakers of His suffering Rom 8:17.

*Prayer.*

*"That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;"*, in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.