KNOCKED FLAT BY THE POWER OF GOD

“Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, Whom are you seeking? They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am He. And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, I am He, they drew back and fell to the ground” (John 18:4-6 NKJV).

Just as the Roman soldiers and temple police were preparing to arrest Jesus, a supernatural power was suddenly released that was so strong, it literally knocked an entire band of 300 to 600 soldiers backward and down on the ground. Where did this discharge of power come from, and what released it?

We have the answer in vv. 5-6 in the way how Jesus identified Himself – He “said to them, I Am He.” In the Greek it is ego eimi, which literally means “I AM!” These were powerful words. It was not the first time Jesus used this phrase to identify Himself; He also used it in John 8:58 and John 13:19. When the hearers of that day heard the words ego eimi, they immediately recognized them as the very words God used to identify Himself when He spoke to Moses on Mount Horeb in Exodus 3:14.

As soon as Jesus said “I am He,” “they drew back and fell to the ground.” The word “fell” is the Greek word pipto. In the New Testament pipto is used most commonly in its literal sense denoting an unintentional fall. So, some force suddenly, unexpectedly, and forcefully knocked these troops and temple police flat! When Jesus spoke the words “I AM,” a great blast of God’s power was unleashed. What a shock it must have been for those military men! They discovered that the mere words of Jesus were enough to overwhelm and overpower them. The stories they had heard about Jesus’ power were all true. In spite of His power, Jesus voluntary surrendered to them, knowing that it was all a part of the Father’s plan for the redemption of mankind.

The Jesus we serve is powerful! There is no force strong enough to resist His power. No sickness, financial turmoil, relational problems, political force - absolutely nothing has the power to resist the supernatural power of Jesus Christ! When the great “I AM” opens His mouth and speaks, every power that attempts to defy Him or His Word is pushed backward and shaken until it staggers, stumbles, and falls to the ground. What is your need today? Why not present those needs to Jesus, the great “I AM?”

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Jesus is God spelling Himself out in language that man can understand!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Delivered

In Mark 15:1 we read, “Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate!” (NKJV)

Delivered is the Greek word paradidomi (παραδίδωμι = par-ad-id'-o-mee). It is made up of two words: “para” which means alongside, beside, to the side of, over to, and “didomi” which means to give. The word conveys the basic meaning of to give over from one’s hand to someone or something, especially to give over to the power of another.

The entire council of Jewish leaders had already reached their verdict of putting Jesus to death the night before (14:64). However, they had to make the decision at a meeting during the daytime in accordance with their law. So Jesus was bound like a common criminal and delivered to Pilate, the Roman governor. The council had to get permission from Pilate in order to carry out the death penalty.

Of importance is the picture of sacrifice - in the Old Testament sacrifices were to be bound with cords (Psalm 118:27). Christ was “bound…led Him away, and delivered…to Pilate” as the great Sacrifice. Paul also wrote that Jesus “gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20), meaning that He handed over and delivered up Himself to be scorned, tortured, and crucified. Yet, the greatest act of betrayal in all of history was conquered when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. No human betrayal can divert the purpose of God

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – That He would be rejected by his own (Psalm. 69:8; Isa. 53:3)

New Testament Fulfillment – John 1:11; 7:5

Bible Facts

The first three verses of Genesis accurately express all known aspects of the creation (Gen. 1:1-3). Science expresses the universe in terms of time, space, matter, and energy. In Genesis 1:1-3 we read: “In the beginning (time) God created the heavens (space) and the earth (matter)…Then God said, Let there be light (energy).” No other creation account agrees with the observable evidence.

Bible Quiz

In addition to the women who brought spices to anoint the body of Jesus, who also sought to anoint the body of Jesus with myrrh and aloes?

**Answer to last week’s trivia: What is the mystery that Paul refers to that was “hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints?”

That’s in the Bible

"Weighed in the balance”

“TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting” (Dan. 5:27 NKJV).

The phrase “weighed in the balance” was written by God’s hand on a wall during a big party put on by King Belshazzar. Today, this expression speaks of the deficiencies of an individual or group and how such deficiencies relate to the matter at hand. However, those who think God will actually weigh our deeds will come up ‘weighed and wanting.’ None of our deeds are sufficient without belief in God.

Did You Know – Christian History

Gerhard Tersteegen was born November 25, 1697 in Moers, Germany. He was a German Reformed religious writer. After being educated at the gymnasium of his native town, Tersteegen was for some years apprenticed to a merchant. He soon came under the influence of Wilhelm Hoffman, a pietistic revivalist, and devoted himself to writing and public speaking, withdrawing in 1728 from all secular pursuits and giving himself entirely to religious work.

Before long people were coming to him for spiritual guidance. Thousands came to him, many traveling great distances and sometimes waiting for hours in order to hear his words for a few minutes. The numbers seeking his guidance grew to the point where he was forced to move into a house to better accommodate them. Although forming no sect of his own, he became well known as a religious teacher and leader. His house was known as “The Pilgrim’s Cottage” - a retreat for men seeking a way of life, while he himself was known as “the physician of the poor and forsaken.”

In 1731 he published his first collection of hymns, The Spiritual Flower Garden. These hymns were so popular that they were sung at weddings, social gatherings, and even spoken as greetings. In addition to his other labors he carried on a tremendous correspondence. Overwork resulted in physical breakdown, so that during the latter years of his life Tersteegen could only speak to small gatherings. He died at Muhlheim on April 3, 1769. Tersteegen is seen as one of the three most important Reformed hymn writers. He is also regarded as the chief representative of the mystics. He wrote 111 hymns. His important Geisliches Blumengartlein was published in 1729.

A Little Humor

A little boy was listening to a long and excessively boring sermon in church. Suddenly the red sanctuary lamp caught his eye. Tugging his father’s sleeve, he said, “Daddy, when the light turns green can we go?”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“If Christ is the Way, we waste time traveling any other!”