Jesus, the carpenter by vocation before His river and Spirit baptism, was crucified on a Cross [Paul in Galatians called it a tree, maybe because at one time it had been a tree], is believed to have been secured on that tree by three nails!
The nails did not secure Jesus any more than Pilate had authority on his own to have Him killed.
“So Pilate said to Him, ‘You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?'”
Jesus shot back, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above [My Father]; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
So what kept Jesus on the Cross [tree]? Of course, it was not the nails that kept Jesus on that tree. For if He decided He was done with that plan He could have disintegrated the nails and the tree.
“Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”
What kept Jesus on that tree was His willingness to surrender to His [the] Father’s will – to the bitter [sweet] and bloody end!
“1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Letting His example of surrender to His Father’s will encourages us in our will to stay steady and strong throughout our entire race!
In the Garden, Jesus was feeling the pressure of what He had agreed to in eternity past. “All who dwell on the earth will worship Him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.”
The KJV says it this way, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship Him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
The pressure in the olive or wine press became so great He experienced what is known as hematidrosis. Some say hematidrosis, or hematohidrosis, is caused when a person’s fight or flight response kicks into high gear. Others say when a person is in great duress, or distress, it can happen.
Whatever triggered it in Jesus He was in a real war for the salvation of the world!
“For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.” Jesus is man’s only Savior but not all men will do the Father’s will to be saved by Him. Those who will, will be saved by Him.
“Father, is there another way to do what we agreed to?” Jesus was willing to die for the sins of all mankind but at that moment He was looking for a different process of pain than the Cross.
Finally, after three sessions of anguished prayer, He surrendered. “[Father] Not My will but Your will be done!”
Jesus had told His disciples, “I will build My church!” “I will!”
No one could fully understand what the Carpenter meant when He said that. Many still do not understand to this day.
“I will” must be understood in the context of “Your will!”
Even today, as the resurrected Jesus continues to build His church, He is operating out of His Father’s will functioning through His surrendered will. Jesus’ full surrender in the Garden of Gethsemane [oil press, or where olives or grapes are crushed so oil or juice for making wine is extracted] was not a momentary blip on histories radar screen. No, it is an eternal commitment to do His Father’s will.
His church is securely and ultimately built on the Father’s will being executed by Jesus, and everyone else who surrenders to the Father’s will.
“10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of [the will of] God.”
God is NOT every person’s Father. God is ONLY the Father to those who do His will!
So, God’s church is being built by Jesus, the Head, doing His Father’s will and as people surrender to that same will.
Have you said, “Not my will but Yours Father be done?”
If not, you are not part of His church His will is building!
Selah
Let’s look at some verses that talk about the Father’s will. These are not exclusive!
“Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”
- This is being said about those who overemphasize their relationship with Christ, “Who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord.'”
- This is being said about those who bragged to Jesus what they had done “in My name” but did not have an authentic relationship with Him – “I never knew you.”
“For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
- This was in response to His natural family showing up to one of His meetings wanting to see Him. He asked the assembled crowd, “Who is my mother and my brothers?” Before they could answer He answered His own question with the above text.
- This was in response to the grumbling of the Jews who could not accept His testimony of who He is.
- “31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.“
When we take these and the many other texts together we get the whole picture of what it means to be His people, His church!
Attending Christian services does make a person a part of His church!
Giving money or time to a Christian church or ministry does make a person a part of His church!
Amending your ways does not make you a part of His church!
What makes a person part of His church? Doing His and the Father’s will is the only way to be part of His church.
Take the time to read all of John 6 where Jesus really hammers the religious people and His own disciples with what His Father’s will is. In fact, take the time to read all four gospels, and read them slowly as if you have never read them or heard any teachings on them before. You will be shocked at what you will see, find, and learn.
I promise!
Receive and steward God’s passion, power, presence, priority, process, promises, protection, provision, pruning, purging, purity, and purpose!
Dr. Kevin M. Drury, DMin
A radical spiritual revolutionary
Revolution Movement Co-Founder
http://www.revolutionmovement.org
kdrury@revolutionmovement.org
You say you want a revolution! Join our movement and turn your world upside down so God can turn His world right side up!
Revolution Movement 