Did you ever consider some things that Jesus could have done as He lived here on this earth, but that He didn’t do? He could have become a political king. Some tried to force Him to do this. Being a carpenter, He could have had a fine house. He could have taken up a “love offering” when He healed. In each of these, and many more, He didn’t do these things.
There is yet another thing He could have done but didn’t. On the night He was betrayed, and after observing the Passover with the apostles, they all, except Judas, walked down into the Kidron Valley and a short way up the side of the Mount of Olives to Gethsemane. When I visited Gethsemane a few years back, I was struck with an amazing fact. While Jesus was in the Garden, He could have seen those who were coming to arrest Him as they made their way to the Garden also. John states that they “came there with lanterns, torches and weapons.” He knew that they were coming, and He knew why they were coming. He could have run. He could have just gone farther up the side of the hill and gone down toward Bethany. He could have just kept on going up into Galilee, but He didn’t! He stayed, was given a mock trial, scourged and crucified when He could have escaped. Why? “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” How great is your love for Him?
