JOHN 18 FOCUS

John 18 Focus

THERE IS A PLAN FROM GOD

 

Scripture makes it abundantly clear that there is a plan. A number of evidences could be used for the existence of God’s plan for creation, but the most compelling evidence is that which is recorded in Scripture:

The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation (Psa_33:11).

Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord, it will stand (Pro_19:21).

"This is the plan devised against the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?" (Isa_14:26-27).

The statements of the Second Person of the Trinity, our Lord Jesus Christ, are consistent with the words of Scripture concerning God’s plan. The Old Testament prophets laid out God’s plan for Messiah, which included both His suffering and His glory:

Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, "Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, but a body Thou hast prepared for Me; in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast taken no pleasure. "Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the roll of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God.’" After saying the above, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast not desired, nor hast Thou taken pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Thy will." He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Heb_10:5-10).

At the time of His birth, some of God’s plan for Christ were described (see　Luk_1:26-38,67-79; Luk_2:8-14,25-35). Repeatedly our Lord indicated He was not pursuing His own plan but fulfilling the plan of the Father:

And it came about that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. And when they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You." And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?" And they did not understand the statement which He had made to them (Luk_2:46-50).

The disciples therefore were saying to one another, "No one brought Him　anything　to eat, did he?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work" (Joh_4:33-34).

And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt." And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?" (Mat_26:39-40)