Heading to Heaven!

A Thoughtful and Thankful Anniversary

April 18, 2026 dbirsch Comments 5 comments

It’s been six years now.

On April 22, 2020, after much prayer and a great deal of work, I hesitantly launched this blog – HeadingToHeaven.com.

It wasn’t a life-long dream or a long-anticipated venture. Far from it! It was actually one of the most unlikeliest of undertakings for me.

That being said, it was also a somewhat spur-of-the-moment thing. I leaped into this ocean rather quickly. However, it was not a rash decision; I felt compelled to do it.

I recognize that sounds simplistic, super spiritual and/or selfish. To which I would reply that it was actually complex … but also simply spiritual. I was convinced the Lord was pushing me.

I was certainly not compelled by ego. Quite the contrary, beginning a blog was beyond overwhelming to me. (Technology is definitely not my forte.) I didn’t know where to start, what to do, or if it would even be beneficial to anyone. I felt completely inadequate for the task. As I reflect back on the beginning, it was all rather stressful,

Still, once the concept of beginning a blog arose in my mind, I couldn’t shake the compulsion. I needed to do this – as strange and unexpected and daunting as it may be.

“Heading to Heaven” was born in the tumultuous times of COVID. COVID, of course, changed everything. The world. Our nation. Politics. Society. Day-to-day life. Medical approaches.

It certainly altered ministry. Pastors and congregations were scrambling to serve their people.

I began the blog with the idea that it would be another “no contact” way to share God’s Word with God’s people whom I served who were sheltered and struggling. I hoped it would provide an avenue for my congregational members to interact with and encourage one another while temporarily separated and isolated.

While that inter-congregational communication never played out quite the way I envisioned, it seemed the Lord had other plans.

Since then, I have been privileged to share almost 300 devotions on “Heading to Heaven.” Today the posts are read weekly by God’s people across our nation, and even by some on the other side of the oceans. The blog has been accessed by people literally around the world. When I timidly began this website, I could never have imagined how God might use it. (Absolutely all thanks, praise, and glory to Him!!!)

Nor could I have dreamed that the posts would serve as the basis for Bible studies in midweek Lenten services and contemporary services in three different congregations over the years.

But the most humbling and uplifting blessing that has come through the blog are the heartfelt responses that have been shared with me after a particular post touched and encouraged someone. My singular goal for “Heading to Heaven” has always been that I might somehow encourage someone, somewhere, in some little way.

To find out that God has done that very thing is beyond incredible.

I want to stress that this anniversary post is NOT about me. I write this post and share it – very reluctantly. The last thing I want to do is to draw attention to myself. However, I definitely DO want to glorify the Lord.

I am fully aware that any blessings brought through this blog were brought by our good and gracious God … to HIS glory.

It’s not about me at all. Yet as we reach this milestone, I can’t help but personally reflect on the past six years. The Lord certainly works in mysterious and wonderful ways. Always! He is so faithful. The older I get, the more I find myself immersed in thankfulness to Him.

On this sixth anniversary of “Heading to Heaven,” I thank the Lord with all my heart. He made it happen, he kept it happening, and he continues to keep it happening. I trust he is indeed using it “in some little way.”

Thanks also to all who subscribe to this blog. Some of you have been with me on all or nearly all of this entire journey. If you do formally “follow” (subscribe to) this blog, please know that you are a great encouragement to me.

If you aren’t yet subscribed, I invite you to do so. I would be honored if you did. (It’s free!) Instructions on how to do so are below.

Additional thanks to those who share the posts with their friends. Doing so definitely extends the blog’s reach. And when you share, perhaps God is using you to reach someone who needs to read that particular devotion at that particular time, and they are drawn closer to the Lord.

Recognizing that various posts are read by non-subscribers is also uplifting. I am humbled and grateful that someone would take the time to do so, and I am prayerful that they are “somehow encouraged in some little way.”

Finally, if you have any thoughts you are willing to share in the “comments” section below regarding “Heading to Heaven,” I would be delighted to read them. Personal responses are always a morale boost.

It’s so hard to believe – it’s been six years now. My thoughts on this occasion are filled with thankfulness to our God for his blessing on this endeavor, and gratefulness for the opportunity to serve him … and hopefully encourage some of his people somehow, somewhere, in some little way.

Because finally, there is no greater message than that there is a God who loves us and who saved us.

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Disconnected ?!?!

April 11, 2026 dbirsch Comments 0 Comment

After the privilege (and pressure) of leading Holy Week and Easter Sunday services for two congregations, I was looking forward to a relatively quiet Monday following Easter. But then I looked out one of our back windows and noticed the floating portion of our dock was twisted sideways and barely hanging on! (See the picture above.)

Which precipitated an immediate change of plans. Especially since the forecast called for high winds later that day. Either I reconnected the end of our dock or I would undoubtedly be retrieving it from the far end of the lake!

The dock is rather old, and I had been monitoring the attachments for a while now. I knew I would need to add a new 2 X 8 board for extra support, as well as new eye bolts. It was a project for the near future. But on Easter Monday, the “near future” suddenly became “immediately.”

As the snow fell and the wind began to pick up, I tied the floating portion of the dock to the anchored walkway. The old and bent eye bolts were removed, a new front panel was installed, and new bolts were screwed into place. (Amazingly, I only dropped one of my tools into the lake. Fortunately, the water was shallow enough for it to be retrieved with a garden rake.) Finally, I reattached the quick links to the eye bolts, and the end of our dock was safely reconnected.

Paddling our kayak to rescue our beached dock somewhere on the lake shore would have certainly been … interesting. But that wasn’t even the worst outcome that could have occurred. If the wind was fierce enough and blowing to the east, it could have potentially blown our dock over the spillway of the dam at the end of the lake, and then down the river below. If that had happened, I may not have been able to retrieve it all! Even if the dock managed to survive the fall.

Becoming disconnected would have led to drastic and perhaps dire ramifications for our little but dearly loved dock.

Connections are important. And especially our connection to our Savior! Becoming disconnected from Him leads to drastic and perhaps dire ramifications to our well-being – both now and forever.

Jesus himself makes this clear.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5-6).

We wither when we lose connection to the living Lord – when we become distracted and distant from the source of spiritual life. Without Jesus, the searing heat of stresses and the drought of difficulties in our lives sap the life from us. Or, to mix our metaphors, when we become unmoored from the Savior, we float away and careen toward calamity.

It’s no accident that the concept of remaining anchored in … attached to! … the Lord permeates the Scriptures.

David sang about the unmovable force that is the Lord after he delivered David from Saul’s attempt to kill him. As we read his words, we can’t help but recognize how desperately David clung to his God during those difficult days.

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalm 18:1-2).

Jesus referred to the same concept of God and God’s Word being an unshakable foundation to which the wise are attached:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25).

If we are to stand through the fierce storms of this world, (and none of us avoid those storms!), it is crucial that we remain connected to the ultimate foundation of our Savior.

Choose whichever illustration you prefer … the living Vine, the unmovable Rock, the impregnable Fortress, the ultimate Stronghold … the point is the same: we need to stay connected to Him. Why? Because the Lord is our spiritual Sustanence, our Strength, our Deliverer, our Refuge, our Shield and our Salvation!

Unplug any rechargeable do-dad … a phone, a speaker, a tool, etc. … and it will operate for a while. But while operating, the charge is slowly draining. Eventually the power is gone.

It’s the same with our souls!

We must be plugged in to the Lord and his Word to be spiritually recharged, and to stay charged.

“… The gospel … is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). The Holy Spirit “powers” us through the “living, active, and penetrating” word of God. (Hebrews 4:12).

As a pastor, I know this to be true. I have seen this play out, both negatively and positively, among God’s people.

Those who neglect reading and hearing God’s Word slowly but surely lose their spiritual power and become more-and-more disconnected from their God. Their spiritual lights dim, and tragically, sometimes go out altogether.

On the other hand, those who actively read and hear God’s Word become stronger-and-stronger spiritually and more-and-more connected to their God. They almost glow with spiritual light and life; they thrive in their connection to Jesus, the Vine.

It’s a striking contrast.

Faith is dynamic; it is always changing. Either it is growing stronger through our connection with the Lord and his Word, or it is growing weaker through disconnection.

I know which of the two I want happening in me!

Thankfully, our dock is reconnected and anchored. But much more importantly, may every one of us remain connected and anchored in our loving Lord.

There is no better or safer place to be than close to our Savior … clinging to him as he clings to us, and as he fills us with life, joy and security!

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Hebrews 10:22-25
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Acts 2:42 (A description of the early Christian church)
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

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What If … ?

April 4, 2026 dbirsch Comments 0 Comment

“What if …” are the perfect opening words to inquisitive and introspective queries. Thousands of questions could begin with those words.

But the ultimate one would have to be … what if Jesus did not rise from the dead?

Paul L. Maier actually explores that scenario in his novel, “A Skeleton in God’s Closet.” In the story, a team of archeologists discover a skeleton in Israel, and every scientific test points to the conclusion that the bones are Jesus’ bones. (No, not another Jesus. The Jesus of the Bible!)

Imagine the repercussions of such a finding for Christian people and the Christian Church! The entire Bible is built on Christ, and the entire faith is predicated on Christ’s resurrection. Not just on his crucifixion, but on his resurrection!

The Scriptures lay out the bleak scenario:

If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. … And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:selected verses).

Here’s how Maier describes the Christian world in the wake of finding Jesus’ supposed bones:

“A country parson so choked up in his pulpit that he collapsed and died halfway through his sermon … Trappist monks who had taken a vow of silence now screaming their disillusionment … fall registration at seminaries and divinity schools down a catastrophic 85 percent as trend pundits promised they would close altogether, along with monasteries and convents … futurologists predicting the conversion of empty churches into restaurants or beer halls ….. suicides, mental and moral breakdowns, vastly increased crime, and the reduction of world Christianity to cult status” (Skeleton, page 174).

“Pastors are leaving the ministry, congregations are leaving their pastors, seminaries are closing down. And the agnostics and the atheists are howling their ‘See? We were right’ line’” (Skeleton, page 180).

In Maier’s story, the discovery not only eviscerates the Christian Church, but it sends catastrophic shock waves throughout the world. Virtually everything was affected, even the stock market. It’s quite a fascinating read, and frankly – gloomy as can be.

Imagine if seemingly convincing “evidence” was discovered that Jesus never rose. Imagine the ramifications of that. Maier does, and it’s not a pretty picture.

At the risk of ruining your read should you decide to do so, the protagonist uncovers a brilliant and elaborate hoax. The bones weren’t Jesus’ bones after all.

But then, the Bible makes that abundantly clear from the start. After raising the specter of a still-dead Jesus and what that would mean for Christians in 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul states this in the very next verse: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

What if Jesus never rose back to life? Thankfully that’s not a question we have to consider. “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!” the Scriptures boldly and emphatically shout.

Which means incredible blessings for you and me … for now and for all of eternity!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you …

Though you have not seen [Jesus Christ], you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:3-4, 8-9).

Jesus’ resurrection proves that he was exactly who he said he was … God himself and the promised Savior. And it assures us that Jesus accomplished precisely what he came to accomplish … full atonement and eternal salvation for sinners. “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” (Romans 4:25).

We are forgiven. We are saved. We have a living Savior, and a living hope. Our confidence and conviction is unshakable; our destination secured.

Therefore, we love Him. We rejoice in Him. We thank Him. We praise Him.

And we celebrate Easter with all our hearts!

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

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Summarizing the Incomprehensible

April 2, 2026 dbirsch Comments 0 Comment

How does one put it into words?

God himself, existing in absolute glory and worshiped by throngs of angels, willingly left the wonders of heaven to dwell on a very unglorious earth. That’s astounding enough. But he didn’t come down just to live on earth, to hang out a while and teach us some important truths, and then quietly extricate himself again.

Jesus arrived here with the express purpose of dying here. And not simply dying a quick death, but a slow, excruciatingly torturous one! The Apostle Paul describes this wonder with these words:

“Christ Jesus, … being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8).

Why? Why would Jesus do that?

Well, first of all because he loved us that much. His incomprehensible love drove him to make the incomprehensible sacrifice for sinners like you and me.

And secondly, because the Lord realized that there was no other way sufficient atonement for our transgressions could be made, and no other way that sinners like us could transition into heaven one day. Only his perfect sacrifice would suffice.

So Jesus entered our world to accomplish what only he could accomplish – the saving of sinners. It was an act of unfathomable love, but it cost him unfathomably. His suffering has never been matched in the entire history of the world, because he was suffering for everyone in the history of the world.

It was a price he was willing to pay.

Jesus’ birth led to his death; his death led to his resurrection; his resurrection led to his ascension, when he returned to his rightful home in heaven and resumed his proper seat on a throne of glory.

Paul continued his summary of Jesus’ life and death in Philippians with these words:

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11).

The Apostle summarizes the incomprehensible quite well, doesn’t he? Which set me to thinking; how would I summarize the events of “Holy Week” in a few words? Here are a few attempts:

The ultimate injustice endured to procure the ultimate justice.

The perfect example of love demonstrated by the Perfect Example of Love.

The greatest love story ever told.

The most significant week in the history of the world.

The culmination and focal point of the entire Bible.

The Gospel put into the profoundest action by the Lord himself.

A sacrifice too great to give … but given anyway.

Events beyond belief. (But believe them anyway. They’re true!)

No greater carnage; no greater blessing!

The Holy One became “unholy” so the unholy ones (you and me) could become holy.

The Life died so the dead could live.

The Lord experienced hell so we could experience heaven.

How the wrongs were made right again. That is, the Second Adam (Jesus) undoes the damage of the first Adam.

An unpayable debt … paid in full.

“It is finished!”

Holy Week: an occupied cross and then an unoccupied tomb.

The empty tomb of the Lord means a full heart and life for believers.

The ultimate battle and the most glorious victory.

The true God demonstrates why he is truly the one-and-only, greatest of all “gods.”

The incomprehensible … actually happened!

Clearly I’ve only scratched the surface; there is so much more that could be said. How would you summarize the incomprehensible events of this week? Please share in the comments box below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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Jesus’ Legacy of Seemingly “Little Things” with Large Significance: Jesus Provided

March 28, 2026 dbirsch Comments 0 Comment

Any Christian with even a passing knowledge of Jesus’ suffering and death is well aware of the “big things” that our Savior endured as our holy Substitute. And make no mistake about it, the big things are indeed big!

However, there are many “little things” that occurred along the way – lesser known and lesser noted things – that carry great significance as well. For these weeks of the Lenten season, we’ll take note of some of those lesser things that carry large significance.

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We hear about it every Lenten season in our Passion Reading on Wednesdays. We know about it on the most basic level, but a good share of the background details are not provided.

Matthew, Mark and Luke all record the event to varying degrees of specificity. Of the three writers, Luke perhaps supplies the most information.

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”

“Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.

He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”

They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. (Luke 22:7-13)

Matthew, Mark and Luke all mention how Peter and John followed Jesus’ instructions and located their Passover accommodations. But not one of them explains how a huge guest room … fully furnished for a large group to celebrate the Passover happened to be available!

Historical experts estimate that Jerusalem’s population during Jesus’ day was normally somewhere between 60,000 to 100,000 people. (It’s impossible to pin down an exact number.) However, all agree that the number during the Passover would double or even triple as scattered Jews would make the pilgrimage to the city!

While those are eye-popping numbers simply in regard to a fascination factor, the point is that any accommodations for celebrations would be extremely limited. Much less a large room capable of hosting Jesus’ sizable retinue! And fully furnished for the Passover Meal, no less!

Yet such a room was available. And it was procured in remarkable fashion. Which fosters all kinds of questions. How did this come about?

Had Jesus somehow personally made arrangements for the room in advance? Perhaps. Yet the disciples who were almost always in his company seemed to know nothing about it. In fact, they pointedly asked Jesus, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” (Mt. 26:17).

Did the Lord miraculously inform the owner of the house – in a vision, a dream, or an angelic appearance (all of which occurred at various times during Jesus’ life) – that the room was needed by Jesus?

Or had whomever the room was intended for found themselves unable to use it, which made it surprisingly and unexpectedly available? And the perfect solution for Jesus and his disciples, who happened to come asking at the last minute.

Matthew, Mark and Luke don’t tell us. Perhaps they never knew the answer. Perhaps they did know but the Holy Spirit simply didn’t inspire them to share it.

Regardless, this leads us to this week’s “seemingly little thing with large significance.” The disciples must have wondered where in the people-packed city of Jerusalem their group would gather. They had no clue, but Jesus provided the solution.

“Follow the man carrying the water jar to a house, talk to the homeowner, tell him ‘the Teacher’ needs to use the guest room, and he’ll lead you to a fully furnished room.” And, wonder of wonders, that’s exactly the way it played out for Peter and John!

But then, Jesus had been providing for them wonderfully through his entire ministry.

He provided the fishermen among them with great catches of fish after their nets had been empty all night. He provided refreshing wine for his new disciples by transforming water at the wedding in Cana. Several times he provided meals for them from a few fish and loaves. (And not just for them but for thousands of others!) He provided the cessation of a violent storm that threatened to swamp their boats and drown them at sea. He miraculously provided the temple tax for Peter and himself through Peter catching a fish and retrieving the coin from its mouth. He even healed Peter’s sick mother-in-law. And after his resurrection, Jesus fed his disciples by the side of the Sea.

Most importantly of all, Jesus provided their souls with an unprecedented amount of time hearing God’s pure word spoken by God’s pure Word! No one has ever been so richly blessed!

Of course, Jesus wasn’t done providing for his disciples. That very night Jesus gave them yet another gift. It was an ongoing meal of remembrance, of miraculous presence, and of forgiveness.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28).

Once again, Jesus provided for his disciples. And not only for his immediate disciples, but for all who would follow him in the years to come. Disciples like you and me!

It was a gift bringing incredible and wide-ranging blessings, not the least of which is forgiveness of sins. It was a gift bringing gifts that the disciples needed that evening and through the difficult times that followed.

It’s a gift we still need as we struggle through life … when we long to be close to Jesus, when we crave the personal assurance that we are forgiven through Jesus, and when we desire the reminder that we are truly children of God and therefore heirs of salvation.

Then the next day Jesus provided yet another mind-boggling gift. The Passover Lamb of God – “the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1;29) – offered himself as the ultimate Sacrifice for sinners on the altar of the cross. By doing so, he provided the single greatest and most needed blessing for sinners of all time – full atonement for their iniquities. And this atonement IS provided. Jesus made that clear when he stated from the cross, “It is finished.” (Jn. 19:30).

A few days later yet another blessing was furnished by Jesus. His body which was surely dead came back to life, and the living Savior burst out of the tomb where he had been buried. Peter summarizes some of the gifts Jesus’ resurrection gives us:

Jesus lives again! Therefore we live spiritually already now, and we will live eternally one day. Which imparts upon us a “living hope!”

Jesus provides. He always has provided for his own; he always will.

Not only spiritual blessings to lead us to heaven, but day-to-day blessings to lead us through life. Jesus faithfully preserves his people’s well-being. He provides for them (for us!) and he protects them (us!).

Paul stated with confidence, “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19).

Indeed he has! Indeed he does! Indeed he will! It’s what our Savior does; he provides for us.

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Jesus’ Legacy of Seemingly “Little Things” with Large Significance: My Kingdom Is Not of This World

March 21, 2026 dbirsch

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No one understood. At least not fully. Most didn’t understand even partially. This certainly included Jesus’ opponents. But it also included his closest disciples, who struggled with the concept (see Acts 1:6) until after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit opened their minds and hearts to understand.

This is rather remarkable since Jesus referred to this truth repeatedly throughout his ministry, addressing it in a multitude of manners. (Over 120 times in the Gospels and Acts!)

Our “seemingly little thing of large significance” for today was spoken by Jesus in a fascinating conversation with the Roman governor, Pontus Pilate. Matthew, Mark, and Luke abbreviate the talk; John, however, records their dialogue more extensively.

Luke summarizes Jesus’ enemies’ accusations against him when they had the ear of the governor: “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.” (Lk. 23:2). Then John writes these words:

Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

[Here comes the seemingly little thing!] Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.” (John 18:33-38)

“My kingdom is not of this world,” the Lord told Pilate. And we are probably quick to agree, thinking, “Of course not! Jesus’ kingdom is in heaven!”

If so, then we show ourselves to not fully understand either – even today with all the insight the Scriptures provide.

But it’s understandable to be confused about this. Jesus referred to his kingdom over and over as “the kingdom of God” and “the kingdom of heaven.” He even told Pilate that “my kingdom is from another place.” Which seems to lead to the logical conclusion that Jesus is speaking about his holy, heavenly kingdom where he sits on a throne and is worshipped by angels and those believers who have entered glory after their lives on earth are over.

While that is indeed “the kingdom of heaven” – and is, in fact, the ultimate culmination of the concept – heaven actually encompasses only a portion of Jesus’ kingdom.

Read the many passages referring to God’s kingdom, (most of them spoken by Jesus), and it becomes clear that this kingdom is certainly not a physical kingdom on earth. Nor is the kingdom of heaven limited to heaven. Rather, it is a spiritual kingdom!

As the Apostle Paul explains so well: “For [God the Father] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14).

Where were we? In “the dominion of darkness.” That is, in the kingdom of spiritual darkness. In unbelief!

Where are we now? By God’s grace, we have been brought “into the kingdom of the Son” – into the Kingdom of Jesus. That is, into the kingdom of God; into the kingdom of heaven. Or to contrast it to “the dominion of darkness” in Colossians 1, God has transitioned us into the kingdom of spiritual light; into faith in our Savior who won our forgiveness and purchased our salvation with his suffering and death!

This is clearly not a physical or geographical kingdom. It’s a spiritual status with spiritual blessings. Again, quoting Paul: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit …” (Romans 14:17).

An ideal earthly king provides moral stability, societal peace and personal joy to any who dwell in his kingdom. (A worthy goal, but a wholly unreachable one in this broken world.)

In Jesus, however, we have the ideal spiritual King who brings all who hail him as Lord and Savior incredible spiritual blessings through the moving of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual blessings like “righteousness” – being regarded as right with God by God despite our many sins. And the blessing of inner “peace” that derives from knowing we who are guilty are considered guiltless by the holy God. And an unquenchable “joy” that burns bright even in life’s greatest hardships because we know we are dearly loved by God who works all things for our good. (Romans 8:28).

An earthly king or leader can’t provide these things; but Jesus, our heavenly King, can and does!

Jesus’ kingdom extends over every person whose heart is devoted to Him – whether on earth or in heaven. All who dwell in that spiritual kingdom are abundantly blessed. Blessed through the blessings and challenges of life on earth, and ultimately blessed forever and ever in heaven in the very presence of our King.

It’s interesting that Jesus’ kingship and kingdom were repeatedly referred to in a cruel and twisted fashion as he endured his suffering (in order to establish his spiritual kingdom!).

His enemies brought the accusation to Pilate that Jesus claimed to be an earthly king opposed to Caesar as the reason he merited capital punishment. (Lk. 23:2).

Governor Pilate repeatedly referred to Jesus as the “king of Jews” … both to Jesus (Mt. 27:11) and to Jesus’ enemies (Mk. 15:9-12). Pilate even ordered a sign made and posted over Jesus’ cross, referring to him as “Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.” (Jn. 19:19).

The Roman soldiers took great delight in mocking Jesus, “the king of the Jews.” Their games at Jesus’ expense included draping a kingly robe on Jesus, impaling a crown of thorns on his head, and placing a staff his hand. They knelt in mock homage to him and spit on him. If that wasn’t enough, they took the staff and beat down upon the crown of thorns with it. (Mt. 27:27-30).

Even as Jesus hung on the cross, the Jewish leaders didn’t miss the opportunity to ridicule him as the “King of Israel” who couldn’t save himself and who wasn’t rescued by God. (Mt. 27:41-43).

No one understood the type of King Jesus was and the Kingdom he was establishing. Most didn’t care to understand.

God grant that we not fall into that category. Rather, may the Spirit help us recognize and rejoice in the King Jesus is, and in the Kingdom Jesus established. He is King of our hearts, our minds, our lives, our family, our church, our past, present and future on earth, and our eternity in heaven. Jesus reigns over our everything!

Though he was ridiculed and even reviled as “the king of the Jews,” he is truly our King who brought us victory and entrance into the spiritual “kingdom of God.” And thankfully that kingdom … his kingdom … isn’t restricted to one nation or even to one place, but it graciously and wonderfully extends over you and me, wherever we may be.

It’s the very kingdom we pray impacts us positively and powerfully every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come.” (Mt. 6:10). Thankfully, it’s a prayer Jesus has already answered … and one he will continue to graciously answer.

What a marvelous King He is! What a magnificent Kingdom He has established!

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Jesus Lenten Legacy of Seemingly “Little Things” with Large Significance: Jesus Healed Him

March 14, 2026 dbirsch

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All four Gospel writers record the initial boldacious act – one of Jesus’ disciples draws his sword to fight against those who had come to arrest Jesus in the Garden, and he actually cuts off the right ear of the high priest’s servant!

John however is the only writer who names the sword-swinger; it was Peter. He is also the only writer who reveals the name of the servant who lost his ear; Malchus.

But amazingly, Luke is the only one who passes along today’s “seemingly little thing of great significance.” He shares this remarkable tidbit, tucked away into one Scripture verse: “But Jesus answered, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.” (Luke 22:51).

Maybe it’s not surprising Luke makes special note of this. After all, we know that he was a physician, (Col. 4:14), so it would seem logical – natural even – that he would note a healing of a serious physical condition.

Still, the injury must have been grotesque, with blood pouring out of the wound and undoubtedly anguished cries coming from the wounded servant. It would seem the other gospel writers would have noted what Jesus did and recorded it. But they didn’t. Perhaps because of the darkness and confusion; perhaps because of the rapid unraveling of events; perhaps because of their shock at what was happening to Jesus and their own terror over their personal safety.

Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit moved Luke to pass along this seemingly insignificant event … because it is, in fact, quite significant!

Perhaps one might argue that three of the four gospel writers didn’t relay this healing because Jesus had performed so many healings before. Too many to even count! In fact, all four writers referenced Jesus’ miracles of healing multiple times … both in a general, all-encompassing way, as well as describing specific instances.

For example, Matthew writes:

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. (Matthew 4:23-24).

But note this crucial difference; the people the gospel writers record earlier … whether in all-encompassing summaries or in specific, detailed instances … came to Jesus as followers of Jesus. Even if initially just in a nominal way.

Malchus, however, came to Jesus as an enemy of Jesus to subdue him and ultimately send him to death. In fact, (though we obviously don’t know for certain), I would submit it is possible – even likely – that the reason Peter struck Malchus was because Malchus was being extremely aggressive and was therefore viewed by Peter as a direct threat to Jesus. Perhaps Malchus was one who physically, (and roughly!), latched onto Jesus.

Yet the Lord still healed him!

Obviously, no other person has the ability to do what Jesus did here. But even if they could, how many people, sinners that they (we!) all are, would be willing to lovingly pick up a severed ear off the ground, place one gentle hand on the one side of the head of a man who just roughly seized us, and reattach the severed ear on the other side? Most would never consider it, especially given the circumstances.

But Jesus did. In his love, he healed the man who just moments before had the worst of intentions for him.

The love of the Savior doesn’t only cover those who love him, but it extends over every … single … person! There is sufficient evidence of this truth throughout the gospels.

We see it in Jesus’ interaction with the Jewish religious leaders who wanted him out of the picture – by death if necessary. Even when Jesus spoke harshly to them, it was coming from a place of supreme love. John provides an example of Jesus’ words that seem filled with compassion for his opponents:

But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.” (John 8:23-24).

We see it also in Jesus’ dealing with Judas, whom he knew had betrayed him for a few pieces of silver. Repeatedly Jesus attempted to reach Judas. While the betrayal was prophesied and necessary, it didn’t stop the Lord from attempting to break through his hard heart. Luke’s account seems to demonstrate this:

While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:47-48).

The answer, of course, was “yes.” The worst of relationship crimes carried out with a typically loving gesture which was anything but! Yet Jesus never stopped loving Judas.

Luke also shares perhaps the most striking example of Jesus’ love … something that occurred just a day after Jesus healed Malchus’ ear:

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:32-34).

Indeed it’s striking that the first words the Savior spoke from the cross were words of a loving prayer for those who put him there. Certainly Jesus was praying for the Roman soldiers who drove the nails through his hands and feet and raised him up on the cursed “tree” of the cross. Imagine, amidst the excruciating pain, praying for those men who inflicted it!

But as Jesus lifted that prayer to his Heavenly Father, he lifted it not only for the soldiers, but also for the Jewish religious leaders who pushed for his death. And he prayed for the Jews who had screamed, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” None of them recognized what they were doing, or what Jesus was doing.

Why? What moved Jesus to pray such a prayer? It was his all-encompassing love – a love which loved not just family and followers, but also his enemies.

We can’t help but marvel. How could Jesus love so abundantly that he even loved those who hated him? It boggles our minds. But we dare not forget that at one time we were also enemies of God, (Col. 1:21), yet Jesus loved us.

This is the infinite and incomparable love of our Savior! Which leads us to Paul’s prayer for God’s people:

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19).

The “little thing” of Jesus healing Malchus’ ear has great significance because it shows the width, length, height and depth of Jesus love for all people … even those intent on killing him. A love that thankfully includes sinners like you and me whose sins necessitated Jesus’ suffering and dying.

And it demonstrates how the Savior desires us to love.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:43-45).

This is no little thing! This is certainly not a worldly, fleshly, easy-to-adopt approach. But it is a godly approach, as Jesus himself demonstrated. And it is the approach God asks God’s children to adopt.

Why would we do so? For the same reason Jesus did so! Because of Jesus’ love! “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19).

Is loving even our enemies an easy thing for us? No way. But it becomes possible as we realize the magnitude of Jesus’ love.

After all, it was a love that even loved you and me.

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Love Even Those Who Hate You

John 13
³⁴“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Matthew 22
³⁴Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. ³⁵One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Luke 6
²⁷“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you.

³²“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

1 Peter 2
¹⁹For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. ²⁰But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. ²¹To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

²²“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” ²³When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” ²⁵For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

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Jesus’ Lenten Legacy of Seemingly “Little Things” with Large Significance: The Scriptures Must Be Fulfilled

March 7, 2026 dbirsch

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In past weeks, the “seemingly little things of large significance” we have discussed have been incidents mentioned only once in the Gospels and described with only a few words. This week we will consider a truth mentioned so often in the Bible that readers are tempted to simply dismiss it, thereby viewing it as a seemingly insignificant thing.

But it most certainly is NOT a little thing. And it most certainly IS a matter of great significance!

Mark records Jesus’ words spoken to the mob who had arrived to arrest him in the Garden.

(Mark 14:48-49) “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. [Then come the significant words!] But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”

Jesus states it frankly and clearly: “The Scriptures must be fulfilled.”

Interestingly, Matthew (the gospel writer to the Jews who knew the Old Testament Scriptures!) shares more of Jesus’ dialogue from that fateful evening. And Jesus actually stated this fundamental concept twice! He said it first to Peter – “But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Mt. 26:54), and then he repeated it to his aggressors – “But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled” (Mt. 26:56).

Jesus emphasized the truth that “the Scriptures must be fulfilled” to both his devoted disciples and to his detractors. This is not accidental or incidental. This is the Savior highlighting a highly significant precept.

For centuries … millennia even! … the Lord had been providing prophecies about the Christ, the Second Adam who would undo the damage the first Adam wrought. Every new prophecy added a new piece to the Messianic puzzle and painted a more complete picture of who He would be, what He would do, and what He would endure.

Theologians differ on the exact number of Old Testament Messianic prophecies, based on how they define individual examples. Nevertheless, there is agreement that there are between 200 – 400 clear prophecies of the Christ. Most scholars of the topic settle on a number over 300.

Wherever one lands in regard to the specific count, the sheer volume of prophecies is astounding. And Jesus fulfilled every one of them … “because the Scriptures must be fulfilled!”

It started with the Savior being born of a virgin (Is. 7:14) from the line of David (2 Sam. 7:12-16) in the town of Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), and his subsequent flight to Egypt (Hos 11:1). As an adult, it continued with his ministry in Galilee (Is. 9:1-2), as well as his healing of the blind, deaf, dumb and lame (Is. 35:4-6).

The foreshadowing of his suffering and death is scattered liberally throughout the Old Testament, both the physical specifics (as in Ps. 22) and the spiritual impact that suffering and death would bring (Is. 53). Astoundingly accurate details are provided, from his ride into Jerusalem on a young donkey (Zech. 9:9), to his betrayal by one close to him (Ps. 41:9) for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12-13), to being abandoned by those close to him (Zech. 13:7), to being sentenced with transgressors (Is. 53:12), to the casting of lots for his clothing (Ps. 22:18), to dying (Dan. 9:26), and to being pierced (Zech. 12:10).

It’s also fascinating to note that at least twice in Jesus’ ministry irate groups attempted to murder him … once in Nazareth (Lk. 4:28-30) and another time in the temple courts in Jerusalem (Jn. 8:58-59). Jesus was indeed destined to die for the people at the hands of people, but only at the right time and in the right manner. (Because the Scriptures must be fulfilled.) So he somehow simply (miraculously!) exited those situations.

The above prophetic examples provide a very summary list; the examples go on and on into the hundreds. And Jesus fulfilled every single prophecy made about him.

This is no small thing! The odds of doing so are essentially impossible – something only God could do. Which is exactly what Jesus, the Son of God, did.

In the 1950’s, a mathematics professor at Pasadena City College named Peter Stoner ran a class exercise with 12 different classes totaling over 600 students. The point of the process was to determine the probability of one person fulfilling just 8 specific examples of the hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah.

When the calculations were complete, the students discovered that the odds of one person fulfilling only eight of the Old Testament prophecies as 1 in a 100 quadrillion! To put that into numbers, it would be a 1 in a 100,000,000,000,000,000 chance!!! (17 zeroes!)

To help illustrate this probability in a more visual manner, Professor Stoner provided a telling picture. He explained that if 100 quadrillion silver dollars were laid down within the geographic boundaries of the state of Texas, they would cover every square inch of the state by a height of two feet.

Only 1 of those silver dollars in the 24-inch, statewide pile is marked with an X. If someone would be blindfolded and plopped wherever they wished in the massive state, the probability of that person reaching down and selecting the one and only marked coin would be the same as one person fulfilling those 8 specific prophecies. (“Science Speaks: An Evaluation of Certain Christian Evidences” by Peter Stoner, Moody Press).

But Jesus fulfilled hundreds of prophecies! Meaning the probability far exceeds 100 quadrillion … taking it well into the realm of impossibility.

Which is exactly Jesus’ point: He is the God who can and who does accomplish the impossible. That is, perfectly fulfilling over three hundred prophecies.

He is also the God who has everything perfectly planned out. This is true in regard to history in general; it is especially true in regard to the plan of salvation. That plan was perfectly proposed by the Lord, and it was perfectly executed by Jesus.

Furthermore, he is the God who perfectly keeps his promises. If just one of the hundreds of Messianic prophecies went unfulfilled, Jesus could not be the Messiah. Jesus would be a farce and God would show himself a liar; one who is unfaithful and untrustworthy.

But that is NOT who our God and our Savior is! It is not happenstance that the Apostle John describes Jesus in this way as he opens his Gospel:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. … The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-2, 14)

Jesus, the Promised One who fulfilled all the promises, was the embodiment of God’s Word … of God’s truths … of God’s prophecies. Jesus was the Word made flesh. Which is why he stated those incredibly important words: “The Scriptures must be fulfilled.” And why he made sure they were!

It’s why Jesus came to earth. It’s what Jesus did. He fulfilled the Scriptures!

And thanks be to God that he did! As Isaiah prophesied about the Savior … about our Savior: “… He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5).

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Jesus’ Lenten Legacy of Seemingly “Little Things” with Large Significance: They Fell to the Ground

February 28, 2026 dbirsch

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It’s only mentioned by one of the Gospel writers … and it’s essentially contained in just one verse. It would be an easy thing to overlook.

But we dare not! The Holy Spirit moved John to record this event because it is significant!

Jesus had been begging his Heavenly Father in prayer to find another way to atone for the sins of the world, but there was no other way. So Jesus resolutely set his heart, mind and body to the bloody and brutal task before him.

Meanwhile, Judas the betrayer had led an armed mob of soldiers, spiritual militants, and curiosity seekers to the Garden of Gethsemane where he knew Jesus would be found. Matthew tells us this was “a large crowd armed with swords and clubs.” (Mt. 26:47). John adds that the crowd included a “detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials.” (Jn. 18:12)

Were the soldiers present “simply” temple guards, or had Roman soldiers also been recruited? (This is entirely possible if the Jewish leaders had argued to Roman leaders that legionnaires were needed to “keep the peace.”) The Bible doesn’t provide us with the total number in the mob, but if Roman soldiers were involved, it could easily have been in the hundreds.

Here is where John’s Gospel picks up the account:

(John 18:4-6) Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

There’s the seemingly little thing with great significance. When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

A person working through John’s account could read those words and think, “Huh. That’s interesting,” and continue right on reading without giving it much thought. But this isn’t just some strange occurrence. It’s a telling event. A significant synopsis. A brief summary with great importance.

“A large crowd” that included soldiers and Jewish leaders – potentially numbering hundreds – were knocked off their feet by just a few words from Jesus!

Why do we dare not overlook this seemingly little event? Because Jesus is demonstrating his extreme power … AND subsequently his willingness to go through with the suffering.

The Scriptures make it perfectly clear that Jesus was arrested … not because of the betrayal. Not because of the “unexpected” and sudden appearance of the mob in the darkness. Not because of the sheer numbers of his opponents. Not because of the soldiers, swords and clubs. Not because his disciples abandoned him.

Jesus was seized … because he refrained from using the power at his disposal. Jesus ended up in his enemies’ hands … because he allowed himself to be seized. While the crowd dared to believe that they controlled the situation and Jesus … it was actually Jesus who was in complete control.

This is a crucial truth that every Christian needs to comprehend.

The Son of God carried the full power of God. He turned water to wine and fed thousands with a few fish and loaves. He healed the sick (even those with incurable diseases!), and he raised the dead. He walked on the water and calmed the storms. In fact, just moments after knocking the mob to the ground, Jesus reattached an ear that Peter had sliced off.

Jesus was brimming with power.

When the mob arrived, he didn’t experience a sudden power outage. His power wasn’t tapped out. It wasn’t depleted, misplaced or unavailable. Nor was Jesus temporarily unable to access his boundless capabilities. He didn’t forget how to harness it or mysteriously neglect it.

Jesus deliberately chose to leave his boundless power unharnessed. But he incapacitated an armed “army” with a few words to show what he could do … if he so desired!

But he didn’t desire it.

It was necessary for him to endure the rejection and ridicule, the torture and torment, the very horrors of hell. It was necessary for him to be arrested by the mob, because that’s how the saga began. Therefore, he capped his power and turned himself over to his enemies – willingly, and seemingly (but not really!) helplessly.

And note this truth well: that boundless power was able to be unleashed at any moment during all of his suffering. During the mockings, beatings, scourging, nailing and dying. Jesus could have easily revealed his absolute power at any moment and terrified and devastated his tormentors.

In addition, after Peter swung his sword, Jesus told him that as the Son of God he could call on his Father, “and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels!” (Mt. 26:53).

But Jesus never did either. He never unleased his power, and he never called on the heavenly host of angels. Because then his assignment to redeem the lost sinners of the ages would have been lost.

Jesus had to refrain and endure the pain. It was the only chance for the transgressors; it was the only chance for you and me.

Praise the Lord Jesus that he was overflowing with power … and that he deliberately didn’t use it. That means that you and I are truly forgiven … and truly headed to heaven!

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Jesus’ Lenten Legacy of Seemingly “Little Things” with Large Significance: Jesus Knew

February 21, 2026 dbirsch

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This little sidenote isn’t even a full sentence. It’s more of a parenthetical statement – a descriptive aside – inserted into a sentence. They are just a few words, but they’re packed with significance.

The mob had arrived in the Garden to arrest Jesus, presumably by sheer numbers and brute force, if necessary. Jesus calmly approached them to ask who they are looking for. And that’s where the Holy Spirit inspires John to add the brief explanation: “Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him …” (John 18:4).

Of course, Jesus already knew the crowd’s sinister purpose, so the aside seems perfectly natural ahead of Jesus’ question-for-which-he-already-knew-the-answer. But it’s not just that Jesus knew who their target was; the Holy Spirit is emphasizing a much larger and more significant truth.

Jesus knew ALL that was going to happen to him!

By this point, the Scriptures already make it clear that Jesus is fully aware of the ugly circumstances swirling around him. Jesus knew exactly who had betrayed him (Jn. 13:11) and he provided Peter with the very specific warning that he would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows (Lk. 22:34). Furthermore, Jesus knew he was about to be condemned with transgressors – that is, crucified (Lk. 22:37).

But those words – “knowing all that was going to happen to him” – carry so much more weight than Jesus simply being aware of the course, facts and timeline of events that were about to unfold. They bear the knowledge of the intimate and personal details of every second of suffering heading his way!

Not just the ridicule that would be rained upon him and the spittle that would settle on his face. Not just the hatred and humiliation he would endure. Not just the exhaustion of being dragged unsympathetically to multiple overnight “hearings.” Not just the sorrow of seeing so many who loved him devastated by what he was experiencing.

But Jesus knew exactly what horrific physical agony was about to be unleashed on his body.

Every bit of beard yanked from his face.

Every slap and every punch.

Every thorn that would pierce his head, and every strike from the staff that beat the thorns deeper into his flesh and skull.

Every lash from the scourge that tore open the flesh on his back.

Every ounce of agony as the nails were driven through his body to secure him to the cross.

Every excruciating instance he would have to push his flayed back up on the wooden cross to gain another breath.

Every moment of separation from his Heavenly Father. (That is, every moment of hell he would have to experience as the proper punishment for the sins of the world.)

Jesus knew it all. He knew it all before any of it happened.

He even knew exactly who would wound him, exactly when and exactly where. And yet he never flinched and he never shifted to lessen his suffering; he knew exactly what was coming and he willingly endured every bit of the agony.

He endured it all because it was necessary to win redemption for you and me.

This is incomprehensible to us. Only God himself could accomplish this! And only a thoroughly loving God, driven by mercy for doomed sinners, would actually go through with it!

But let us never assume that Jesus was unaffected by all that he knew awaited him in his atoning work. Luke disabuses anyone tempted to make such an assumption as he shares insights into Jesus’ passionate prayer in the Garden.

[Jesus prayed,] ‘“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:42-44).

Point number one: Jesus pleaded with his Father to find another way to save sinners and spare him the upcoming agony that he knew awaited him.

Point number two: Jesus as true Man was overwhelmed by what Jesus as true God knew was about to happen to him. His emotional state was such that the Father actually sent an angel to strengthen and encourage him.

Point number three: Jesus’ anguish and dread affected him not only emotionally, but physically as well; he began to perspire profusely and blood actually seeped into his sweat. (This is a rare phenomenon called hematidrosis … hemorrhaging of the sweat glands … that may occur in highly emotional states.)

Jesus knew. He knew it all. Every horrific detail he would have to endure. Every bit of agony his body was about to experience.

But he also knew that there was no other way for sinners to be saved. He knew that only he, the Lamb of God, could offer the holy sacrifice on the altar of the cross to make full atonement. He knew he had to go through with it.

So he resolutely set his mind, lifted his face, straightened his back, and marched into the mayhem and murder that awaited him. He knew the horrors ahead, but he also knew that in the end the victory would be won. Consequently, “for the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus knew the excruciating pain before him. Yet he persevered, because he also knew he loved us and he knew he wanted us to be with him forever in heaven.

We know he knew. God grant that we never forget it, and that we never stop treasuring it!