Mosaiek Church Lent 2025: Jesus' Questions in SufferingНамуна

The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove. Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked. “Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied.

-John18:3-5 (NLT)

When Jesus asks, “Whom do you seek?” the soldiers expect to find a rebel leader, who might resist or fight back. But Jesus steps forward and identifies Himself. He says, “I am He.” This moment invites us to get in touch with our own expectations of Jesus. Do you expect Him to be a comforter, a miracle worker, or Someone who will solve all your problems? Or are you ready to accept Him as He is—a suffering servant, a crucified Saviour?

We often limit God by expecting Him to conform to our ideas and desires. But His ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). Are you open to encountering Jesus as He is, even if it challenges your expectations and makes you uncomfortable? What preconceived ideas about Him do you need to let go of? Can you open your heart to the Jesus who calls you to take up your cross and follow Him?

Reflection: What expectations do you have of Jesus? How has He surprised you in the past? Ask the Lord to help you surrender your expectations and invite Him to reveal Himself to you in a new way.

Prayer: I ask for the grace to seek You above all else and to follow You with trust and surrender.