Do Not Fear – G-d Is With You When You Follow His Will
[Matthew 26:26-29] As Yeshua’s last Passover meal with His disciples
neared its end, Yeshua took a piece of matzah (unleavened bread)
and blessed the L-rd. Then Yeshua broke the matzah and gave it to
His disciples, saying, Take! Eat! This is my body” Next, Yeshua blessed
the L-rd as He took the (third) cup of wine (at the Passover meal) and
gave it to His disciples. Yeshua said, “All of you, drink from it! For
this is my blood, which ratifies the New Covenant, my blood shed on
behalf of many, so that they may have their sins forgiven.”
[Matthew 26:30-50] Then, Yeshua went, with His disciples to the Mount of
Olives just outside Jerusalem. Yeshua told 8 of the disciples, “Sit here
and wait while I go over there and pray.” Then, Yeshua took Simon Peter,
James, and John and went a little farther. Grief and anguish came over
Yeshua, and He said to Peter, James, and John, “My heart is so filled
with sadness that I could die! Remain here and stay awake with me.”
Yeshua went on a little farther and fell on His face. Yeshua prayed, “My
Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet – not what I want,
but what you want!” Yeshua returned to the disciples and found them
sleeping. He said to Peter, “Stay awake and pray that you will not be
put to the test – the spirit indeed is eager, but human nature is weak.”
Yeshua went a second time and prayed. “My Father, if this cup cannot
pass away unless I drink it, let what you want be done.” Again Yeshua
returned and found the disciples sleeping. Yeshua left them and went off
and prayed a third time, saying the same words. Then, as Yeshua returned
to His disciples, Judas came with many people to arrest Him and crucify
Him.
Yeshua and His disciples left the Upper Room and
went to the Mount of Olives before they
completed the
Passover meal. They did not drink the 4th cup, which today is
called the “cup of
completion.”
When
Yeshua went to the Mount of Olives to pray after the Passover meal,
Yeshua knew the task that G-d had given Him to complete. From the
beginning, G-d intended for Yeshua to defeat haSatan and redeem G-d’s
people from paying the penalty of death for their sin. In Genesis 3:15,
G-d told the serpent, “I will put animosity between you and the woman,
and between your descendant and her descendent; he will bruise your head
and you will bruise his heel.” G-d was following His plan for men’s
redemption from sin when He sent Yeshua, the son of Miriam and the Holy
Spirit, to be born as a baby and to live a sinless life on earth. Now,
as Yeshua prayed on the Mount of Olives, He was about to complete G-d’s
plan of redemption.
Yeshua drank the
“cup of completion” when He was given a sponge soaked in vinegar as He
hung dying on the
execution stake.
Scripture says Yeshua is completely G-d
and completely human. It was Yeshua’s human reluctance that caused Him
to ask G-d to release Him from ”drinking the cup of completion” that was
before Him. Three times Yeshua prayed and asked G-d to free Him from the
need to die for men’s sins. Yeshua’s flesh was weak, but He knew G-d had
a task for Him to do. Each time Yeshua ended His prayer by telling G-d
the Father, “I will do as You want me to do.”
As
believers and followers of Yeshua the Messiah, we are accountable for
what we know. This account of Yeshua’s struggles as He obeyed G-d and
prepared to die for atonement of men’s sins is in 3 of the Gospels,
showing how important it is. As we study Yeshua’s victory over His
fleshly fears, we are challenged to fight the same battles in our life.
G-d has tasks for each believer to do. Some of the tasks are easier to
do than others. Each time our emotions and fears cause us to shrink back
from following G-d’s commands and His direction for our lives, we must
be challenged by the victory that Yeshua achieved on the Mount of
Olives. We are not G-d, as Yeshua is, and do not have Yeshua’s strength
to fight temptations on our own. When we become weak or discouraged, we
can draw on G-d’s Holy Spirit to strengthen us and give us the victory.
G-d sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in believers to give us the power to
overcome the temptations that come our way.
As you
let G-d and Yeshua guide your life each day, look at the people around
you – your friends and family. HaSatan often uses similar attacks (and
at the same time) on people who live near each other. HaSatan’s purpose
is to destroy a person’s support group when he needs them the most. Even
if you feel under attack, reach out and encourage others who are also
under attack from HaSatan. Stand together in the strength of G-d’s Holy
Spirit! Resist HaSatan and receive the victory against temptation and
discouragement!
Remember G-d gives us the victory when we ask Him to!
TEMPLE
SHALOM YISRAEL “Insights From the Word” Copyright
APRIL 2002
