This last physical miracle of Jesus is not one we think about often. The variety of things Jesus did is great. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t do. He healed people in many different situations and ways. All four gospels tell us about this story. Its significance is in the fact that it happened while so much else was going on around Jesus at the time. The whole picture shows us something wonderful.
Luke 22: 47And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. 48But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? 49When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? 50And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 51And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.
This was the worst moment in Jesus’ life up to that point. The disciples were sleeping. He had just finished praying in the garden. He saw the people coming with their torches and heard the whispers of the soldiers and the mob as they came to arrest him. One of his own led the mob and was there to sell him out. Right before the mob came, Jesus woke the disciples. In confusion they saw a mob led by Judas and heard angry voices. How shocked they must have been. They saw swords and staves in the hands of many. They were outnumbered by a mob. They saw the look of blood in their eyes.
Judas came to the Lord and kissed him on the cheek. Jesus spoke to him about betraying his Master with a kiss. He asked the mob whom they were seeking. When they said Jesus, he answered I am he. Everything went crazy. The disciples asked if they should kill them all with the sword, but before Jesus could respond in the negative Peter cut a man’s ear off. The man’s name was Malchus; he was a servant of the high priest. He was put into immediate agony. Everyone was taken off guard but Jesus. He stopped it all and said it was enough. He didn’t want the disciples to be aggressive nor did he want them hurt by the mob.
Have you thought about how things used to be as you look at how they are now? Do you see no way out? Have things caught you off guard? Malchus’ life changed in an instant. Bleeding and deformed he sat screaming on the ground in pain. Jesus stopped it all in its tracks and said that was far as it was going. No matter what has come unglued in your life, Jesus wants you to know this is as far as it has to go. He has the power to change your life in an instant. Did you use to serve the Lord? Have you been closer to him than you are now? In the middle of whatever you’re in, Jesus is in the midst. Jesus didn’t cut this man’s ear off, but he did put it back in place. He puts lives back together. He will help you today.
His first miracle was at the wedding in Cana. He did if for his family and friends. Here the miracle was for someone who hated Jesus. As the servant of the high priest, he had heard what all was planned for Jesus. He may have added his opinion to it all. He may have volunteered to be in the mob to arrest Jesus. Even as an adversary, Jesus still loved him. You may feel like a big adversary of the Lord, but he loves you. If he performed a miracle for Malchus, he’ll do one for you. The devil had descended upon the garden. The disciples would soon run, and Jesus knew that. At his lowest point to date, he still took time to do this miracle.
Our attitude toward sin is important. Sin cuts deep. It severs us from hope, from family, and from all that is important to us. Your sin will cut you to pieces without a second thought. Malchus could have bled to death. Hating Jesus didn’t matter anymore. His job didn’t matter. His ear was gone; he was in pain and could possibly die. Jesus took a wounded man’s severed ear and put it back. He re-attached it. The bleeding stopped. The pain stopped. He was healed and his ear restored.
The miracle of miracles is the salvation of the soul. Man is transformed from a state of being lost, cut apart by sin and changed to someone who is whole. This man’s ear was restored. Salvation restores a person’s soul. If you’ve known the Lord and chose to walk away, Jesus waits to put you back together. Sin changes a person’s life for the worse. Things were hectic in the garden that night. The events got fast paced quickly. Jesus was not taken by surprise and caught off guard. He was Lord of the situation. He let that mob take him. In order for us to be put back together, he had to willingly suffer the death of Calvary. He was willing to step into our place so that we wouldn’t have to suffer.
More than one time Jesus has put me back together. Today is as far as your hurt and pain needs to go. Today is as long as you need to be without the Lord. In the midst of whatever is going on in your life right now is Jesus. He’s in full control. He’s not up against it even if you feel you are. He has the power to do what needs to be done in your life. He healed Malchus at one of the lowest points in his life. Today he is sitting at the right hand of the Father ready, willing and able to help each of us.
A few hours later, Jesus would encounter a thief hanging on a cross beside him. That man would ask to be remembered. The last miracle Jesus did was give heaven to a dying man. Jesus wants to put a halt to the direction you’re headed and restore the shattered pieces of your life.
The day of miracles is still here. Jesus Christ is still able to save all who will come to him. He’s still able to solve problems. He’s still a miracle worker.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 