P27 is now "Faith Journey"

(this is an excerpt of the new contemplative moment study on John 18:1-11)

Let’s take a contemplative look at what is happening in the first eleven verses of John 18.

18:1 When he had said these things, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley. There was an orchard there, and he and his disciples went into it. 18:2 (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, knew the place too, because Jesus had met there many times with his disciples.) 18:3 Judas obtained a squad  of soldiers and some officers of the chief priests and Pharisees. They came to the orchard with lanterns and torches and weapons.

It’s early Friday morning, about 1:00am.  A few hours earlier the Disciples left the upper room where they have celebrated the Passover meal. They walk across town through the Eastern Gate toward the garden of Gethsemane. Along the way they must pass through the temple courts and by the altar where lambs have been sacrificed and blood has been poured on the altar as an offering to God.

Stop and Ponder

There were an immense number of lambs slain for the Passover.  Thirty years after Jesus ascension to heaven, a census was taken and the number of sheep that were sacrificed was 256,000.  Can you imagine what the temple courts were like on this day?

Since the age of 12 Jesus has been at this place annually and participated in the Passover Day. But today is different, for he is choosing to be The Sacrificial Lamb, God’s lamb, for the sins of this world.  Does Jesus pause to take in this scene? I wonder if he stopped for a moment and reminded the Disciples of the promise of the God’s Lamb.

• Take time right now to write a brief personal prayer of praise and thanksgiving to Jesus for being our sacrificial lamb.

(You can download a free copy of the complete study)