(Part 1)
“And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and elders. Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.” As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him. And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” They they all forsook Him and fled” -Mark 14:43-50.
Anyone ever have things just not go how you hoped or planned? I am not talking about trying out a new recipe and it fails or trying to go a new direction to get somewhere and end up lost. Although these things are aggravating and a nuisance, they don’t typically shake your faith.
I’m talking about the big stuff. Like a marriage that comes apart at the seams, being diagnosed with a serious disease, or the death of a child. These types of situations can shake your faith right to the core allowing doubt and despair to take root in our hearts. The disciples were experiencing one of those moments.
Jesus had walked with them, taught them, and did countless miracles before their eyes. They believed that He was the coming Messiah. He was the one who would deliver them from Roman oppression and reestablish Israel. It must have been a complete shock to them when the chief priests, scribes, and elders came and took Jesus. They could see the hand writing on the wall. They know what the out come would be and Mark 14:50 says, “Then they all forsook him and fled.”
How quickly we abandon Jesus when life does not seem to be playing out the way we hoped or planned; when things have become difficult. Many see this as their only option; to flee from Jesus in times of distress. Even Peter, who attempted to defend Jesus that night, cutting off a man’s ear, would later do the unthinkable and deny even knowing Jesus. When pressed about his relationship with Jesus, Peter begins to vigorously deny knowing Him:
“Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.”-Matthew 26:74
Matters go from bad to worse when Jesus is condemned to die and is marched out of the city to Golgatha where He is publicly crucified. There on that cross all of their hopes, dreams, and aspirations died. Racked with fear they went and hid themselves. The same men that had once healed the sick and cast out demons were now hiding. Hiding their faith and hiding from it.
Pastor Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church
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