John 18:7-11

John 18:7-11
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 Think of friction -- when things aren't going the way they are intended, it's challenging.  If you are driving in a rut and try to break out, it's challenging to overcome the borders of that rut.  If you've been doing the same thing every day for 20 years and try to change, it's hard to break free of old habits.  If your furniture has been sitting in the same spot in the living room for 7 years, there will be an indentation in the carpet, and you'll have to lift it to slide it anywhere -- there is resistance that has formed.
  If the plan had been for Jesus to live a long life and never suffer, then he would have resisted any change to that plan, right?  When the group showed up with clubs to take him by force, he would have joined Peter and fought back, right?  If human forces were trying to change God's plan, Jesus would have resisted.
  Instead, Jesus goes along with it, for this has been the plan all along -- Jesus would suffer and die like a common criminal, but God would use this suffering for the salvation of all humankind.  His death was not a deviation from the plan, but rather part of the plan all along.  I doubt Judas had a big enough vision to recognize the sovereignty of God over all of life, but his betrayal only moved the plan along, and Jesus didn't resist, for this was his cup to drink.
  All of this was so that you and I and every soul on earth might not be doomed by sin but rather freed by grace for life in Christ.  That's the plan.  Our responsibility is not to resist God's plan at work in our lives, but go along and join in with the work of the Holy Spirit leading us forward.