134. Monday after Second Sunday in Lent.
Lord Jesus, do make us to see thy fettered hands, which set us free. Amen.
Matthew 26, 50-56. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
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He is ready and willing to suffer death for us. His love is the tie that binds him. Had it not been so, no man would ever have been able to restrain the Lord’s hands. But as he suffers for us, we may also say that our sins, our perverse will, our disobedience, our unbridled license, and all that irresponsible and spurious liberty which fills the world, have bound these holy hands, which were lifted only to bless, heal, and save. We all have our share of the blame; let us confess this, and his bonds shall make us free indeed.
Peter drew his sword to protect him; but what was this save a new attempt on the part of the devil to strike from the Savior’s hand the cup which the Father had given him to drink? Secular power for the church is Satan’s own invention. Not the sword, but the word, is the weapon of the church; it is not in ruling, but in suffering, that it has the strength which gives assurance of victory; that which makes its fields fruitful is not the blood of its enemies, but the blood of its martyrs. The Lord would have been in no want of champions, had he wished to employ force against his enemies and yours. In place of twelve such men as Peter he could have had more than twelve legions of angels for his protection. But, in that case, how should the scriptures have been fulfilled? Could he have suffered the penalty for our sins and wiped our guilt away? At this time the Lord was to suffer, not govern; or rather, he was to suffer in order that he might govern. In this manner we also shall through suffering fulfill the counsel of God, and the scriptures, and obtain victory over our enemies. When the power of darkness is allowed to rage against us we shall be victorious through him who healed the ear of Malchus, return good for evil, and prove to our adversaries that God in us is stronger than is the devil in them. And when they speak evil we shall either be patient and say nothing, or we shall correct them in a loving desire to save them, as did the Lord when he said: “Why laid ye not hold on me when I sat daily with you in the temple?” He has done this for us, in our stead; learn this truth well, and he shall certainly accomplish it in you also. Why are you not more in evidence, you believers, who should be everywhere engaged in proving that the Spirit and power of the Savior dwell in you? Why do they seem to be so few who walk in his steps; the steps of the patient Savior, who out of his love was willing to suffer, and who unto death had compassion on all his enemies and was their benefactor? — Not as one rendered powerless; not as one vanquished, but as one completely victorious over the devil, the Lord surrenders his own body to these servants of the devil, and allows himself to be led away.
My soul worships thee, Lord Jesus. Thy love has unchained my fetters and thereupon bound me to thee. Willingly and obediently will I follow thee in thy footsteps of suffering; for thou art my delight and my strength. Lord, thou knowest thy servant; be gracious unto me, and help me. Amen.
Thou art my head, my Lord divine:
I am thy member, wholly thine;
And in thy Spirit’s strength would still
Serve thee according to thy will.
Thus will I sing thy praises here,
With joyful spirit year by year:
And they shall sound before thy throne,
Where time nor number more is known.