John 18:10-11

“Then Simon Peter, having a sword drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. vs 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”

Reflections…

How many of us would have done exactly what Peter did…?

I raise my hand high.

In the heat of the moment, violence seemed to be the best resolve. It seemed to be the best retaliation to all the events unfolding. Peter responded through physical force, his own power… the flesh, but Jesus told him to put his sword away. I am reminded of the scripture, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” 2 Corinthians 10:4. In his actions, Peter was returning evil for evil something Jesus taught against. In the gospel of Luke, it goes on further to say Jesus touched the man’s ear (Malchus) and healed it, this is the Kingdom of God in full display. In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, many are left confused, depressed and angry. During his funeral, Charlie Kirk’s wife publicly forgave the person who shot and killed her husband… Only the power of the Holy Spirit can enable such a thing. Naturally, as human beings, we desire justice when wrongs have been done, but Jesus who did no wrong, was crucified by a criminal’s death, with two actual criminals hanging to his left side and right.

Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And that which I now live in the flesh, I live through faith from the Son of God, the One having loved me and having given up Himself for me.” God’s Kingdom is not of this world, and His Kingdom is completely upside down from the world we live in today. Jesus knew what lay ahead of Him, and as scripture says, He was obedient to death. As I sit and reflect, I am a new creation in Christ, old things have passed away. When Jesus died on the cross my flesh was forever destroyed. Sin was forever erased and atoned for. Romans 6:6 “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be annulled, that we are no longer enslaved to sin.”

Father, help me by Your Spirit within me to walk in my new nature. To walk in my identity and authority in You. To have a Kingdom mindset, in Jesus name.