Trying Jesus

Luke 22, 23

Futile case

Spurred by men

To try the Son of God

Again

Finding guilt

In Him they tried

And would not stop

Until He died

To make the point

Of God blasphemed

The men against His own Son

Screamed

Over, over

And over, they said

He’s an imposter

We want Him dead

How many?  Seven?

Seven times

Led to the judgement

Of no crimes

The leaders should have

Called Him Lord

But they betrayed

Called for the sword

That soldiers bring Him

To their court

Then priests and scribes

Came up short

They could not trick Him

Into saying

He was God.

They were playing

A game

He did not answer who He was

They would, though,

Because

Innocence

Highest Sacrifice

Must give Himself

To pay our price.

 

Copyright 2017 margaretportergriffin

 

http://www.biblewalks.com The House of Caiaphas, the high priest, in Jerusalem.

Losing Wait

Job was a patient man

The most that ever lived

I wonder if we can

Come close.

 

We think we have it bad

Waiting, contemplating

What might turn out to be sad

What may never happen.

 

But during the wait?

We become stronger

Forgetting our imagined fate

Turning thoughts toward Him.

 

Lose the wait?

Instead seek eternalness

Think in the higher state

Where God is.

 

Copyright 2017 margaretportergriffin

 

The Western Wall, Jerusalem

 

 

 

Test of Faith

“Simon,” said Christ twice, emphasizing

“Satan asked to sift you like wheat,”

He prayed the disciples’ faith would not fail

After washing their dust-covered feet.

 

The ruler should serve his subjects

Waiters greater than their lead

Reward would come at a later time

The plant, after the seed.

 

The twelve would judge the twelve

Tribes from each of their thrones

Like the prophet Ezekiel had seen,

A nation resurrected of bones.

 

But Simon was sorely tested

In the hour when need was the most

He denied he knew the Son of God

Leader of Heavenly Hosts.

 

Once, twice, and again!

How could he do it?  Why?

Simon Peter refused to believe

He would ever His King deny.

 

Why, he’d trail his Master to prison

Or to death if it were required

And not then, but much later in time

The vow finally transpired.

 

Faith tested.  Not conquered.  Intact

Jesus explained it must be so

He gave them a visible, audible sign

Distinct: a rooster’s crow.

 

Before leaving the room Jesus told them

They would from then on provide

Supply, protect their brothers

After He suffered and died.

 

The Scriptures foretold a new age

Messianic predictions fulfilled

After Jesus poured out “His life unto death”

His precious, holy king’s blood spilled.

 

And the lessons, for us, abounding

This pattern of self-centeredness

Should change, and our faith will be strengthened

In lives which God promised to bless.

 

Copyright 2017 margaretportergriffin

 

Photo: The Church of All Nations at the Garden of Gethsemane

e

When Darkness Reigns

“This is your hour,” the Master said

To His betrayer, who would see Him dead

The others, enraged, tried to fight back.

Jesus healed the results of attack

 

He did not desire to be taken this way

But gave in to his Father’s will as he prayed

In the Garden.  An angel helped Him be strong

So He could endure to right the great wrong

 

Of sin.  Though the prince of darkness reigned that hour

He could never maintain it, never devour

Believers in Christ, never crush them again

They’d never experience a moment when

 

Satan won.   But he will not in the end

Christ sacrificed so we’d be free

That was his cup, He told them, in pain

His death was our life — His loss, our gain.

 

It won’t be forever, this darkness we see

The hour will pass and eternity

Will blot out all memories of past suffering.

Death, not the victor, finally void of its sting.

 

Poem Copyright 2017 margaretportergriffin

 

Luke 22:39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Luke 22:45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” 47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. 52 hen Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”

Photo: The Garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem.