This is Your Hour

 

Little Things, Part 1

 

Introduction

In Hebrews 4:12, the writer says, For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.  (ASV)

One of the things I’ve noticed in studying scriptures is that sometimes certain phrases might be hidden from you as you go through it. Then one day, it suddenly stands out from the text and you say, “Oh, I didn’t notice that before.” I’ve had this happen to me a few times and it’s usually not until someone else will point out a verse, or a statement, that you never noticed before.

Not that you’ve never read it before, mind you, but it’s something that never caught your attention until now. For whatever reason; which is why I believe in the “living and active” part of Heb. 4:12. It makes you want to go back to the bible and read it again and more often. These are the “little things” sometimes overlooked but are very powerful!

 

When Jesus was arrested

Everyone is familiar with the last hours of Christ’ life on Earth: The Last Supper, The Betrayal of Judas, The Arrest, the many phony trials, the denial of Peter, etc.

In Luke’s account of Jesus’ arrest, he makes a very interesting statement that is not recorded in the other gospels. This is immediately after Peter cuts off the ear of the High Priest’s servant and Jesus heals it. Let’s look at Luke 22:52-53, Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs? "When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." Look at that last statement he made, “But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

God is giving them permission to carry out what was necessary to occur for Jesus to go to the cross. But what I find interesting is that with this permission, he allows them to take center stage and Jesus takes on a smaller role.

 

Jesus Comforts the Disciples

If you have a “Words of Christ in Red” version of the bible, you’ll find this very fascinating. If not, it will be just as interesting, but it may be harder to follow.

After Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, and Judas left to meet up with the Pharisees, He gives a discourse from John 14:1-16:33 to his disciples. He tells them of things to come and comforts them with his words. He follows it with a prayer in John 17.

They moved to the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was then arrested. So, you see verse after verse and page after page of red print. However, when he is arrested; and says “this is your hour”, the red print is no longer dominant!

As I stated earlier, Jesus takes a secondary role as the trials unfold; ultimately leading him to the cross. His conversation is very minimal and is basically only answers to questions given. Even when he is on the cross; the last hours of his life, he speaks very few words.

 

Conclusion

During his ministry, Jesus was a very active in conversations and teachings. However, when it was time for him to go to the cross; however unfair that it seemed at the time, He stop speaking.

This was prophesized in Isaiah 55 when the prophet wrote, in verse 7, He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. It was God’s plan for Him to go to the cross, suffer, and then die; being raised on the third day. From this, we might have that avenue of forgiveness and salvation through His death.