Matthew 26:47-56
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
47 While he was still
speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd
armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the
people.48 Now
the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man;
arrest him.” 49 Going
at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.”
Then the men stepped
forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his
sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his
ear.
52 “Put your sword back in
its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot
call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions
of angels? 54 But
how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this
way?”
55 At that time Jesus said
to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion,
that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in
the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56 But this has all taken
place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2026:%2047-56&version=NIV1984)
Luke 22:51
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear
and healed him.
Let’s go back and look at Matthew 26:31-35
31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all
fall away on account of me, for it is written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of theflock will be scattered.’
and the sheep of the
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of
you into Galilee.”
33 Peter replied, “Even if all
fall away on account of you, I never will.”
34 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the
rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
Wow, Jesus could have said, “Enough
of this! Send the angels, I am ready to
show them who is in Power!” But He didn’t.
Why not? Because He knew His purpose for being on this
earth. What was His purpose? To Glorify the Father through the fulfillment
of scripture. He could stay focused because
He knew His purpose.
The disciples, on the other hand
were a bit confused. Jesus asked them to
come and follow Him. They gave up all
that they had to follow Jesus. They left
loved ones and careers behind in order to follow Jesus. They ate with Him, laughed with Him and
probably even cried with Him. They knew
Him better than most; some had even had a mountaintop experience with Him like
none other. They saw His miracles and
were empowered to do miracles as well. They
went off together, with no money, no change of clothes, and no plan except to
witness to those in different cities.
Now they stand here wanting to defend their leader and He tells them to
stop. At this point, they have forgotten
all that they have known about Jesus.
They have forgotten all about His words, they become focused on
themselves and fear for their very own lives and they run.
Some reading this may have never
had an experience like the disciples and if so it is probably because you are
young. I think most of us though have been
there at one point or many points in our lives.
We have run from God because we were thinking more about ourselves than
we were about fulfilling His plan for us in our lives. For me this moment came when I had my first
miscarriage. I was 21 years old and was lying
in a hospital bed after losing my first baby.
I felt sorry for myself. I was
just at three months along and was just getting really excited about having
this baby and then it was gone. I remember my husband bringing me a devotional
booklet. I really didn’t want to have
anything to do with it, I wasn’t in the mood to commune with God. Why did He take my baby? I was angry at Him, angry at myself and
sorely disappointed. Looking back at
that point, I can say I was like the disciples and I abandoned ship for just a
little while. I did not deny Christ, or
His power, I simply went in hiding, just like the disciples.
We can all stand strong when we
have Jesus by our side but what happens when He allows something to happen that
we do not like? What happens when He is
not there? Take special note of who
left in this passage, was it Jesus? No,
it was His disciples. When we feel far
away from God who is it that left? Was
it God? No, we are the ones that are led
astray, our Father remains. Jesus did
not flee from the disciples, they fled from Him. For a short time they forgot all of their
training, they forgot all of the power that they had seen displayed, they felt
useless, helpless, confused, you name it, they probably felt it and they ran.
I have had many disappointing
moments in my life since that miscarriage but like the disciples I learned from
that moment and have grown stronger.
There are those who have suffered far more than I and have stood strong
in their faith. They didn’t remain
strong through half-hearted Bible reading, or an occasional prayer, or
attendance at church on Sunday morning.
No, they did it through a relationship with their Father in Heaven. Their faith was strong because they ran too
Him, not away from Him. Even when we run
away He gives us opportunity to come back to Him. He appears to us and bids us come. I don’t know where any of you are at today
but if you are in the position that I was in, pain, agony, distress, angry,
frustrated, distraught . . . reach out to Jesus, recognize His power, and ask
Him to help you through.
Seek Him with all your hearts and
you will find rest, power, and strength through Him.
Seeking Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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