Hello fellow readers! Thank you SO MUCH for clicking on my story. What ya have here is called "The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ." The title pretty much sums everything up.
Please read my story, and I hope that someway my story has moved you. I want everyone who reads my story to be touched in some way, even it is the realization that man, you just love Jesus even more now!
Please like, share, and REVIEW! I would really appreciate it, because the more people that review this, the more reads I will get and the more people that will hopefully love Jesus even more now and realize that he went through all of this for YOU!
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But 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
Agony in the Garden
The Garden of Gethsemane drew near. The ivy vines surrounding the Iron Gate wrapped around the first-seen trees, choking them in desperation to have a life of their own. The dew-crested grass glistened in the light of the almost full moon. It was dark, past 9 o'clock in the evening.
A man and his eleven followers stood near the entrance of the gate, not entering quite yet. The man—the leader, it seemed—motioned to eight of his followers. His speaking must have been persuasive, for they all stepped away and sat on the large rocks blocking the Garden entrance. They were content to sitting, while the leader and three final followers slowly stepped into the grass Garden in the dead of night.
They made no comment to one another as they trudged up the slight hill. Each one of their breaths puffed out into the night air, a powder of white. The larger follower stumbled over a tree root, and his friend caught him. But the leader did neither help him or even turn around. He limped through the Garden, a certain destination in his mind.
"Where is he taking us?" John asked Peter as he regained to a stand. "Why did he leave the others behind?"
Peter shrugged, unsure what to say. His Lord had been acting strange the entire evening. It was as if he knew something was going to happen, but Peter didn't know what.
From up above, a black crow flew by, cawing. Peter flinched as he watched the bird fly by, past the large moon and into the trees, now hidden from view. The twigs as to which the bird had landed on shook with the newly applied weight. The crow continued to caw.
The words of his Savior reflected in the back of his mind. What had his Lord been talking about that night? Why had he seemed so sure that him—Peter—would betray his Lord and Savior? It was unheard of. Peter thought of the conversation that had taken place a few hours earlier.
"Simon, Simon," Jesus said, "behold Satan has demanded to sift all you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers."
Peter told him wholeheartedly, "I will, Lord. But do not be worried about my faith being shaken. Satan will not grab hold of me. I am prepared to go to prison. I am prepared to die with you, my Lord."
Jesus turned to look at Peter, sadness in his blue-green eyes. He smiled slightly, then turned away, saying, "Amen I say to you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny three times that you know me."
Peter said, "Even though I shall have to die with you, I will not deny you. You are my Lord and Savior, and I am prepared for the pain that could be bestowed upon me now that I follow you."
Peter had meant what he said, but the crow flying by reminded him of that saying his Lord had so confidently told him. Peter was ready for any amount of pain that could be given to him, and he planned to stay near Jesus' side the entire night in order to protect him from whatever he seemed so afraid of.
Jesus limped across dirt, avoiding rocks and trees but hardly daring to look up to his destination. His sandals slipped in the dew, but he regained his equilibrium by grasping a branch. He stopped, slowly raising his head, with much effort, to the Heavens. His searched the sky for answers. He received none.
Turning to face his heavily breathing followers, Jesus stated, "Peter…John…James. My soul is sorrowful even to death. Pray that you may not undergo the test."
The three men, confused, simply nodded, ready to follow him, but Jesus held up his hand, motioning for them to stay put.
A stone's throw away, Jesus crept slowly into a cavern. It was small, but open-spaced. Upon entering, Jesus collapsed, his knees banging on the rock ground. He grasped his thin, long brown hair, mumbling prayers. He turned to the opening of the cave, spotted the moon, and called out, "Abba Father, all things are possible to you. If you are willing, take this chalice away from me; still, not my will but yours be done." In answer, the trees rustled from a mysterious gust of wind. Though the night sky was surprisingly clear, stray dark clouds blew in from the west and covered the bright moon in one swift movement. The entire earth became black.
Anguished by his Father's answer, Jesus fell prostrate over a boulder, his hands grasping each crook and cranny in the rock. The sharp edges pricked his fingers. His hair became soaked with sweat. His body wiggled in anxiety. "Bevakasha, Father," he whispered, his words escaping his lips with difficulty.
A strong hand grasped Jesus' shoulder from behind. Jesus did not turn around, but remained bowed over the rock. An arm wrapped around the Lord's back, and the warmth of his Father's sunshine crept into his body. His Father had sent an angel to comfort him in his hour of need. This angel embraced Jesus with such compassion and love that Jesus almost felt the happiness and joy as if he were back in Heaven, with his Father.
But that would not happen for many more hours. First, Jesus had to endure pain so unbearable for the sins of the entire world. Images rushed through his mind at that moment—Adam and Eve, Abraham, Hagar, Moses, Jacob, Caleb, Jonathon. All the people from the past crept into his brain at that instant. He saw each one of their faces—perfectly formed faces that he himself had created in his own image. Then he saw their sins. He saw Eve and Adam eat the fruit from the tree. He saw them run and hide from God. He saw the sins of Abraham, Isaac, and Sarai. He saw the sins of Noah and his family. Jesus saw every human being that had been created after Adam up until him, and he saw each one of their weaknesses, doubts, and sins.
Jesus' mind ached from the pictures that were put before him. The comforting hand on his shoulder no longer felt so comforting. Thick droplets of blood began to fall down his face and drip into the rock he lay over. His fingers and hands gripped the sharp rock so hard that they cut, precious blood slowly falling from the hands he had cured so many with to the ground.
More images flashed, and Jesus moaned with agony. He saw each person that would come after him. Every person that would be created until when the Son of Man would come again from the clouds of Heaven. He saw each one of the later-day Saints, each Roman soldier, each pioneer, and each new United States leader that would ever be born. He saw every Japanese, French, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Korean, and American person that would ever walk the Earth. He saw orphaned children seated on the roadside. He saw all of those who would be sentenced to a life behind bars from the moment he sacrificed himself to the day when he would come again.
Then he saw each one of their sins—every sin each and every person of the world would commit in their entire life. He saw every murder that would ever occur in the world, and who had committed it. He saw every lie, who had told it, and what it was about. He saw the sins of everyone—from the smallest white lie they would ever tell to the largest sin they would ever commit.
The pain was unbearable. Jesus moaned and covered his face with his bloody hands. He turned, prepared to see his Father's angel sent to give him comfort, but he only saw the back of the cavern. Wobbling to a stand, Jesus slowly made his way back to his Apostles. To his disappointment, he found them asleep against a tree. He cried out, "Simon."
Immediately, Simon Peter awoke from his sleep and stood. The others did the same.
"Are you asleep, Simon? Could you not keep watch for one hour? The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Stay awake, Simon. Keep watch. Pray."
Then, Jesus returned to his cavern, prepared to see once more the entire sins of the entire world.
John, now alert and aware the condition of his Savior, turned to Peter, asking, "What is wrong with him? Should we summon the others?"
Peter did not answer right away. Instead, he watched as Jesus slowly limped away from where they stood. Then he said, "Lo. Let's stay awake and do as he says. Pray and watch."
Still concerned, John stepped a few feet away from his brothers, his eyes fixed on Jesus, who slowly entered the cavern once more. Why did he seemed so anguished? Why did he seem so...frightened? Never had John see Jesus frightened. The three years John knew Jesus, he had always been so joyful in everything he did. But now Jesus was so exhausted and overcome with...pain that he could barely utter words to them, much less walk. And what had been said at the supper that evening to John? He thought back, recalling Jesus mentioning someone would betray him that very night. Of course, not one of the disciples could believe this. Surely none of them—whom had walked with Jesus for three years—would ever betray him. And to whom? The Romans? It was unimaginable, and at that last supper John really didn't want to ask his Lord what he had meant, because for sure he had been mistaken, but Peter had pried John into asking. So, leaning near Jesus' ear, John had questioned, "Master, who is it?"
Jesus did not answer him at first, only messed with a certain bitter herb. Then he had dipped the herb into salt water, making the bitter herb even more disgusting.
But very quietly, very calmly, and very surely, Jesus had whispered back to John, "It is the one to whom I hand this morsel."
Intrigued, John watched as Jesus turned and handed Judas of Iscariot the morsel. Words passed between those two that John did not fully comprehend, but it was a conversation about doing something quickly. After that, Jesus had continued speaking as he normally did, turning to Peter and conversing with him.
It was a confusing dinner that Last Supper, but John trusted in his Lord to work everything out. John still wasn't fully comprehending the whole betrayal part, and why had it been Judas? Why had Judas of Iscariot rushed out of the room so quickly? Every other disciple simply figured that Judas, since he kept the money bag, was going to go buy more food for the feast.
John would figure that, too.
Prostrate on the cavern ground, Jesus clenched his fists in anguished. He again saw all the sins of the entire world—the sins he would be dying for. He already felt so much pain by these visions, yet how would he be able to bear the pain that was still to come?
"My Father, if it is not possible, that this chalice pass without my drinking, it, your will be done! Bevakasha."
This time, an answer came for Jesus, but not from whom he wanted.
"Do you honestly believe that you can go through all this pain? And for whom? Sinners?"
Jesus ignored Satan's rantings by burying his head in his hands. Sweat mixed with blood dribbled through his fingers, fat droplets slowly trickling down his hands to only then fall on the dry ground. "Abba, Father," Jesus called again, only to be answered by the same demon that had tempted him in the desert.
"The pain are you feeling now is unbearable. What about the pain you will feel soon?"
"Father..."
"No one can go through this pain. No one. No."
Jesus removed the hands covering his face. He glanced down at them, now totally covered in red.
"You won't be able to stand the pain," Satan continued. "So why go through with this? Let the people of this world live their own way."
Jesus placed his hands on his bent knees, slowly regaining his balance and standing. He placed his hands on the boulder near him, barely daring to look up and see the demon before him. Once, that demon had been the Angel of Light sitting in the splendor of Heaven along with him, but Lucifer had wanted power. So Jesus had been forced to cast him into Hell.
And now here they both were—God and demon—in the Garden. Jesus turned away, ignoring Satan's calls. He needed to return to his Apostles. Jesus needed to see them awake and praying.
A wave of disappointment reached him when he found them once more asleep against the tree. Jesus nearly crumbled to the ground in anguish, for even his dear friends could not be with him in his time of trouble and pain.
Turning back to the cavern, Jesus looked up to the Heavens. He wished to be there—Heaven. He wished to be there with his Heavenly Father in the wonderful paradise. But he had to be here, on Earth, in this pain. He had to be here in order to sacrifice himself for the sins of the entire world.
He had to because the people of Earth were his lost sheep, and the Good Shepard was not going to abandon his sheep.
"Simon Peter, who do you say that I am?"
"You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
Jesus smiled. "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. I say to you, Peter, you are my rock. And upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I give you now the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you bound on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. Now listen: Tell no one that I am the Messiah. Do you understand, Peter? Peter?"
"Peter!"
Peter's eyes opened. John had awakened him. There before them, again, stood Jesus, this time he looked far worse than the last time they had seen him. His hair was wet—from sweat or blood, Peter didn't know—and he wobbled as he stood. His hands twitched as they covered his face.
"Peter," Jesus called, his words coming out in clear disappointment.
Peter's eye filled with tears as he realized he had fallen asleep yet again. He had meant to keep watch and stay near Jesus' side the entire night, just to prove that he would not betray his Lord, but so far he had not been fulfilling his promise.
He looked away, disappointed in himself.
Jesus said to them all, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough."
"Enough?" James asked.
"The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. See? My betrayer is at hand."