Judas and a contingent of soldiers came to the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus. I love how John describes the scene in John 18. Jesus knew what was about to happen…and he stepped forward. Jesus stepped INTO the Father’s plan for his life. He stepped FORWARD.
Jesus asked who they were seeking and they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus responded with, “I AM.” Now the New King James says that Jesus said, “I am He.” But when you look up these words in the Greek, it says, “I AM.” Remember what God told Moses to tell Pharoah when he went to ask for the release of Israel? He said, “Tell him I AM WHO I AM sent you.” Jesus was declaring at this moment who he was! I AM!
Now this is the exciting part! When Jesus declared who he was, it says they all fell backwards! I picture them being like a run of dominoes falling all over each other! What just happened? Was it the atoms in their bodies responding to the voice of the One who created them? Was it God displaying His authority? Was it Jesus declaring he didn’t have to die—but he was choosing to die for our sins?
I don’t know. It’s one small verse tucked away in John…and we’re left wondering, “What just happened?!?” Jesus stepped forward while his captors fell backwards. They were never in control.
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