This past week, as I often do, I watched a couple of movies portraying the Life of Christ. It doesn’t seem to matter how many times I watch these; I always get something from them. Something that touches my heart and reminds me of whom I belong to.
Yesterday, I happened to find a clip from “The Passion of The Christ.” It was one where our Lord was in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying to His Father in Heaven that “this cup might be taken from me.”
Jesus knew of His fate; He knew He would be mocked, beaten, tortured and eventually killed. He also knew this was what His purpose was on Earth but, as a man, was frightened of His fate.
Luke 22:42 – “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
He knew it wasn’t His choice to make but His Father in Heaven’s will that had to be done to fulfill the prophecies.
Jesus was Abandoned
I watched this clip and it reminded me of how abandoned and alone He must have felt that evening.
Judas, one of the twelve, had betrayed Him and given Him up for 30 pieces of silver.
Three times He went into the Garden to pray and, three times He returned to his Apostles sleeping.
The last time…
Matthew 26:45 – “Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.’”
…and after He had been taken in by the crowd
Mark 14:50 – “Then everyone deserted him and fled.”
Peter denied Him!
Luke 22:59-60 – “And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, ‘Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about.’ And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.”
After all this had taken place, they led Jesus away, completely alone, to have him falsely proclaimed guilty of blaspheme; beaten and put to death.
Why did He Die?
Reading our Bible; watching these types of portrayals; or just listening to our Pastors speak of the incredible sacrifice He made, one would have to ask oneself, why?
Why did Jesus sacrifice Himself in the manner He did? We’ve heard of all the miracles He performed: healing the sick; giving sight to the blind; hearing to the deaf; and even raising of the dead.
Matthew 26:53 – “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”
Perhaps even easier than that, He could have simply denied He was not anything at all what they were accusing Him of… but He didn’t, because He knew of the prophecy He was to fulfill.
Isaiah 53:4-5 – “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
Jesus did exactly what His Father had intended for Him… He sacrificed His own life, that we would be cleansed; healed; and forgiven our sins.
What You Do?
So, in knowing all these things I ask the question: “Are you abandoning Christ?” …and when I say “abandoning,” I mean ignoring what He has done; the sacrifice He has made; the lessons He has taught us and how we’re supposed to be living?
If Jesus were here today, would you fight for Him or would you do as the Apostles did and turn your back and run? The way we live our lives today, and how we treat others around us, would answer that question.
For all that He has done for you, would you fight for HIM?! Are you representing HIS WAY and HIS LOVE the way He represented the Love of His Father to us?!
I'd like to share a little story I found that will give you some idea of what it's really like to "Wrestle for Jesus."
The Forty Wrestlers
In the days of Nero, the Emperor of Rome, there was a band of elite soldiers known as the “The Emperor’s Wrestlers.” These 40 men were the best athletes in the Roman Amphitheater, and the bravest soldiers in all of the Roman army. They wrestled for the Emperor against all who challenged them.
Before each contest they would stand before the Emperor’s throne and cry out, “Forty wrestlers, wrestling for thee, O Emperor, to win for thee the victory and from thee the victor’s crown.”
One year, in mid-winter, there was a rebellion waged in Gaul (modern-day France), the Emperor sent for his wrestlers and told them to go to Gaul to end the war that was raging on. This brave group of 40 wrestlers left Rome under the command of Vespasian.
While in Gaul rumors spread to Rome that many of the Emperor’s Wrestlers had become Christians. When news of this reached Nero, the Emperor, he sent a message to Vespasian, and made this decree; “If there be any among your soldiers who cling to the faith of the Christian, they must die!”
It was in the dead of winter that Vespasian received the message while his soldiers were camped beside a frozen lake in Gaul. Vespasian assembled his troops and asked, “Are there any among you who cling to the faith of the Christians? If so, let him step forward. I must tell you, all that step forward will be put to death and I have heard it said, a Christian will not deny being so!”
Instantly, all 40 stepped forward two paces, saluted and stood at attention and said, “We believe in Jesus Christ as He IS the Messiah and we will worship Him!”
Vespasian was stunned! He had not expected any to step forward. Vespasian then said to all of them, “Until sundown I shall give you time to recant and to deny your faith.”
At sundown the soldiers were again assembled together, and Vespasian asked: “Who still clings to the Christian faith, even if it means death?”
Again, 40 soldiers stepped forward and stood at attention and said the same thing. Vespasian pleaded with them to deny their faith, but not one soldier would deny Christ.
Vespasian did not want these men he loved, respected, and who fought side-by-side together, to die by the blade of the sword, so he built a large fire by the lake and had them strip naked.
Vespasian reluctantly said, “The decree of the Emperor must be obeyed, so you shall stand out on the frozen lake, exposed to the elements until you freeze to death. Should you recant and deny Christ, the fire will remain burning on shore, and by returning to the shelter of the fire, you will be denouncing Christ and you shall live.”
The forty soldiers stripped off their clothing, fell into four columns of ten each, and marched towards the center of the frozen lake to their death. But as they marched onto the ice, they chanted; “Forty wrestlers, wrestling for thee O Christ, to win for thee the victory and from thee the victor’s crown.”
All night long Vespasian stood by his campfire and watched those forty brave wrestlers out on the ice as they slowly succumbed to the elements. As they grew weaker and weaker, their chanting grew fainter and fainter; “Forty wrestlers, wrestling for thee O Christ, to win of thee the victory and from thee the victor’s crown.”
As morning drew near, one wrestler, no longer able to stand the freezing cold, walked off the ice and came to the edge of the fire, renouncing Christ and his faith.
Thinking he was gaining victory over them he though, “Ah-ha, more will come. I know these warriors!”
As he waited, standing pompously by the lake, no more came. Then Vespasian heard once again, very faintly from the frozen lake, “Thirty-nine wrestlers, wrestling for thee O Christ, to win for thee the victory and from thee the victor’s crown.”
Vespasian, standing by the fire all night, was thinking. As he stood there, God touched his heart. Vespasian slowly removed his cloak, helmet and armor and calmly walked down upon the frozen lake to join his men, and as he walked, he chanted;
“Forty wrestlers, wrestling for thee O Christ, to win for thee the victory and from thee the victor’s crown.”
These wrestlers, by their faith, by their actions and by their dedication to Jesus Christ, were able to turn the great commander’s heart to Jesus!
How Can we Fight?
Are you as dedicated to Jesus as these wrestlers were? Are you willing to humble yourselves and show everyone around you how willing you are to fight for your Lord?
Now, I know you’re asking yourself: “How can I fight for my Lord? How can I represent my Savior and repay all that He has done for me?” The answer is simple and easy: “Live in such a way that others will know your heart as you know His!”
A Simple List
Please allow me to provide you with a little “cheat-sheet” to help you answer these questions:
• Pray – Talk to God every day… throughout your day; talk to Jesus. Thank Him for his sacrifice and welcome Him into your life; pray to the Holy Spirit, that He might fill you and strengthen you to face each challenge!
• Believe – That you are heard, and that God will deliver!
• Love One Another – Put away the hatred, the envy, the anger and all that is evil and Love one another as He Loves us!
• Love Yourself – Stop the ill-feelings about what you have or haven’t done in life (I’m not good enough). God sent His only Son to die for you that you might have everlasting life! He surely Loves you; Love yourself!
• Be Yourself/The Example – God doesn’t ask you to curl-up into a little ball or hide in a closet… enjoy what life has to offer; enjoy, even more, what God has given to you. Don’t abuse these rights or cause harm to anyone else in the way you live… STAY HUMBLE!
• Stop the Criticism – Don’t judge anyone, you don’t know their story! Only God can judge!
• Love God the Father; God the Son; and God the Holy Spirit – Mark 12:30 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
In Conclusion
It isn’t “hard” to be in a relationship with God; you are considered a child to The Father and a Brother/Sister to Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit… be just that!
If you really take the time to read your Bible; understand the lessons of Christ… you’ll see, it isn’t hard at all.
Let’s get ready to Wrestle for Jesus!
Go with God; be good to one another; always stay humble; always be kind… God Bless (Amen)
