In my personal time with the Lord I was reading through the Gospel of Matthew and came to the Garden of Gethsemane scene in Matthew 26:36-56.  As I was studying the passage, I began to ask myself, “What if?”  What if these events hadn’t happened?

• What if Jesus had taken this a bit more casually?
• What if Jesus had not followed the Father’s will?
• What if the disciples had reacted differently?
• What if Judas had changed his mind at the last minute?
• What if Jesus had let the disciples fight with swords?

How different things would be if it hadn’t happened the way Scripture records it.  As I thought through the implications of these “What If” questions, I became more energized and appreciative of all Jesus went through for me.  I enjoyed this study so much, I had to pass it on to others and so you will now find the “What Ifs” from the Garden of Gethsemane Discussion Guides in the MinTools.com store.

As I continued on through Matthew, I kept asking the questions.  Here are some more “what ifs”:

• What if they had arrested Jesus publicly?
• What if Peter had not denied Jesus?
• What if Jesus had a fair trial?
• What if Pilate had released Jesus instead of Barabbas?
• What if Jesus had come down from the cross?
• What if no phenomenon had occurred when Jesus breathed His last?
• What if the women hadn’t watched Jesus’ death and burial?
• What if Jesus hadn’t stayed in the grave for three days?
• What if Jesus hadn’t risen at all?
• What if Jesus hadn’t appeared to anyone after His resurrection, or perhaps to just the inner core of disciples?

Lord willing, perhaps these “what ifs” will be turned into future discussion guides.  For now, I hope you take some time to think through these questions.  Perhaps it will help encourage you to see that Easter had to happen the way Scripture tells the story or things would be quite different for you and I today.

Jesus and His death and resurrection are at the center of the Christian faith, the foundation on which the church was established.    Jesus is still the Head of the Church and so the power source remains available to us.  And, God promises His people the protection of His power to the end of time.  “You, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Pet. 5-6).

Has the Church lost its power?  The power is there, perhaps we just don’t always pursue it with the same kind of passion as Paul. 

I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His suffering, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow to attain to the resurrection from the dead.  (Phil. 3:10-11)

The church hasn’t lost its power, we just don’t use the power available to us.  According to 2 Peter 1:3, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”