Good morning. We are in the midst of our week to contemplate and to celebrate Easter. In the midst of that week so long ago, Jesus prepared a meeting place for His disciples to come together with Him and share in the Passover meal.
In Mark’s gospel, we read that the first thing that Jesus says to them after they had gathered was that one of them would betray Him. This was shocking news. It would have been inconceivable to them, that one of the 12, one of His inner circle, one of His friends, would be the one who would betray Him to His enemies.
Naturally, they began to whisper among themselves about who it might be. Jesus’ answer was just as shocking and perhaps more unbelievable than what He had said before.
In Mark 14:27-31 we read: Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.
Jesus looked each of them in the eye and told them that while one of them would specifically betray Him, they would all fall away. Peter, you know it had to be Peter, was the one to speak up. I think that he believed with all of his heart every word that he spoke that evening, that he would never fall away. Not even if his life were to be forfeited, he would never fall away. We know how Jesus corrects him, telling him that before the next dawn Peter would deny Him not once but three times.
I think that in considering the challenge of Peter and the responding words of truth from Jesus we might miss the last sentence: And they all said the same.
Every one of them believed that they were of the right kind of spiritual stuff to ensure that they could never, personally, betray their Lord Jesus. And yet they did, all of them.
How sure are you of your loyalty to Jesus? Will you soon betray Him? When the chips are down, and the pressure is on will you wilt and fall away?
I hope not, but there are two things that are certain in this discussion: 1. We all fall prey to the weaknesses that claim us and from time to time we fail Him. 2. Just as Jesus didn’t abandon His disciples; He will never abandon any of us. We are forgiven. We are reinstated. We are made righteous by the Blood of the Lamb. Praise the Lord!
Vern