04-03-2026 Angels on Call

Text: Matthew 26:47-56

                   This night we’re remembering the crucifixion of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Our text found in Matthew 26:47-56 says:  “  (47) And while He yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve came, and with him a great multitude [believed to be about 600 men] with swords and staves, from the Chief Priests and Elders of the people.  (48) Now he who betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast.  (49) And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master; and kissed Him.  (50) And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore are you come?  Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took Him.  (51) And behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the High Priest and smote off his ear.  (52) Then said Jesus unto him, put up again your sword into his place:  for all they who take the sword shall perish with the sword.  (53) Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of Angels?  (54) But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?  (55) In that same hour said Jesus to the to the multitudes, are you come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take Me?  I sat daily with you teaching in the Temple, and you laid no hold on Me.  (56) But all this was done, so that the Scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled.  Then all the Disciples forsook Him and fled.”

                   Jesus had finished the Passover meal with the Disciples and took them to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.  The betrayal by Judas was followed by His arrest.  Remember He prayed to His Father that if it were possible, release Him from what was about to happen.  But Jesus knew that wasn’t possible.  The song played during the offering says that Jesus could have called 10,000 angels to take Him away from what was about to happened.  When you think about it, angels have always been with Jesus.  They were there when He was born in Bethlehem, they were there after Satan tried to tempt Him in the wilderness as we read in Matthew 4:11, and they were there at the resurrection of Jesus.  So why on this night didn’t Jesus call them to remove Him from what was about to happen.

                   Our text ends with Jesus giving us the answer:  because the Scriptures had to be fulfilled.  I Peter 1:20 tell us that the Cross was in God’s eternal plan.  Prophecies of the Cross are found throughout the Bible.  Every Passover lamb pictures the slain Savior.  David wrote about the coming crucifixion in Psalm 22.  Isaiah described Jesus’ suffering and death in Isaiah 53.  Zechariah wrote about our Lord’s wounds on the Cross in Zechariah 13:6.  Even the Betrayal of Jesus was prophesied in Psalm 55:13.  And yes, He could have called 10,000 Angels to take Him away from all of that was about to happen to Him.  But if He did there would be no death on the cross and mankind would be lost to their sin for eternity because there would be no Savior to restore us to the family of God.

                   Jesus repeatedly told His Disciples what was going to happen to Him.  He said in Matthew 17:22 He would be betrayed.  Matthew 20:19 records Him saying He would be delivered to the Gentiles – the Romans.  And He even told the Disciples that they would run away and leave Him alone in Matthew 26:1.  The prophets of the Old Testament said Jesus would die alone, and forsaken, which means being abandoned.  David wrote in Psalm 22:6-8 that Jesus would be despised by the people – the same people that hailed and cheered Him as He entered Jerusalem on a donkey.  Isaiah wrote, “We hid our faces from Him” in Isaiah 53:3.  Psalm 22:1 tells us that God would leave Him as Jesus confirmed from the cross in Matthew 27:46.  Imagine how He must have felt.  At the worst time in His human life, he was completely alone.  But from the beginning of creation, this had all been God’s plan.

                   Jesus had to die rejected and alone so that souls could be freed from their sins and saved for eternity.  Had the angels intervened there would be no Gospel.  Without the Gospel, there would be no salvation.  All of us would be lost forever with no hope of redemption.  What Jesus experienced was so horrific that even God had to turn away from His Son at the crucifixion because it was His love for us that kept Jesus on the Cross that day as Paul tells us in Romans 5:8.  Jesus didn’t call the angels to save Him from the agony of crucifixion.  He endured it so that we could be saved and purified before God.

                   Finally, it’s often overlooked that at least four miraculous events occurred at the time of Jesus’ death:  The sun went dark in the middle of the day, the curtain in the Temple that separated the Holy of Holies was torn in two from top to bottom, there was an earthquake, and dead people were reported to be coming out of their tombs.  Even though His Father had to turn away from Him, Jesus’ death did not go unnoticed.  Everyone knew something significant had happened.

                   Our Savior Jesus calls sinners to Him not angels.  Only those who answer His call will be saved.  When they answer, they will be restored to the family of God and spend eternity with Jesus.  Let Jesus into your life as Savior if you haven’t yet responded to His call.  There will come a point when it is too late to answer so don’t wait any longer.  If you answered His call but have become lax in your Christian walk, use this night to renew your faith and trust in Him, and let Him regain His place as your Savior every day of your life.

                   Until we meet again, may God bless you and keep you, may He shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.