John 18:1-11  John doesn't tell about the prayers that Jesus offered in the garden... but goes directly to the confrontation between Jesus and the Roman cohort.   Judas had brought them into the garden.. with their lanterns and torches and weapons.  John does not tell about the kiss of betrayal.  He records what Jesus says.. " Whom do you seek?" 

They were seeking "Jesus the Nazarene".  They didn't even know what He looked like! When He said, "I am He"  it took them by surprise.. so much so that they all fell to the ground. Then again Jesus asked them who they were looking for and again they said "Jesus the Nazarene."  Once again He identified Himself, "I am He..."  He then asked them to let the others go. 

But.. dear Peter.. takes his sword and swings it at a slave. Malchus suffered the loss of his ear... The soldiers suffered nothing.  Judas suffered nothing.  It had no effect on the situation. The other gospels tell us that Jesus touched the slave's ear and healed him. John just tells us what Jesus said to Peter, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?"

Peter wanted to be the rescuer.. He wanted to do something to change the outcome of that night.  He didn't want to be the one to desert Jesus.. to deny Jesus... or to fail Jesus.  But.. his efforts were useless against the Roman cohort.  His will was not the Father's will.  Jesus loved Peter greatly.  He knew Peter did not understand what was about to happen. But.. He also knew that Peter needed to go through this trial so that he would eventually be the man that God would make him to be. When the Holy Spirit came upon Peter on the day of Pentecost, Peter was ready to be the instrument of God's Hand.  He had been refined and tested.. and prepared for the role that God chose him for.  Not a savior with a sword.. but a preacher with the Word. 

Father in heaven, may we learn the things that You want to teach us.. those things that we need to lay at Your feet and surrender fully so that Your will is done and not our own. Open our ears to hear and our eyes to see.  Let Jesus be glorified in our lives...  in our words and in our actions.  Let the love of Christ fill us and overflow into a world that needs to hear about Jesus, the One true Savior who drank the cup that You gave Him so that we might find eternal life. Thank You for such a Savior as this. Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done. Let Your Name be honored.  Let the glory of Christ be seen in us who have become united with You by faith in Him. Hallelujah and Amen.