On the way, Jesus told them, “All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, ‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.” [Mark 14:27-28 (NLT)]
In the days leading up to his crucifixion, the people who claimed to love Jesus the most failed him in many ways. We know about Judas—the disciple trusted enough to carry the money bag who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. That last night, the deceitful man had the audacity to have his feet washed by the Lord and to drink from His cup! But what of the other disciples? During that same meal, Peter vowed he’d never deny Jesus, even if it meant his death and the rest of the disciples echoed his pledge. Yet, within a matter of hours, those brave disciples would desert Jesus and Peter would deny Him three times. Even though Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to pray and keep watch with him in the Garden of Gethsemane, they fell asleep, not once but twice!
Where were the disciples when the mob shouted for Barabbas to be freed? For that matter, where were all of those people who had been healed or fed by Jesus? Just a few days earlier, a crowd had shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Where were they? Why were they silent? Instead of calling for Jesus’ freedom, the mob called, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
The disciples weren’t even there to carry the cross for Jesus; that task fell to Simon, a stranger from Cyrene. Only John, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and some other women followers were at the foot of the cross when Jesus was crucified. Disillusioned and fearful for their lives, the other disciples were absent in His dying hours.
Rather than a disciple, it was a dying criminal who attested Jesus’ innocence, showed his faith, and asked the Lord, “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” When Jesus took His last breath and died, it was a Roman soldier and not a disciple who declared, “This man truly was the son of God!” The eleven remaining disciples didn’t even help bury their beloved rabbi. That responsibility was taken by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, members of the Jewish high council and secret followers of Jesus.
The disciples, confused and frightened, failed Jesus both as disciples and as friends. Nevertheless, despite the way they failed Him, Jesus didn’t fail them. Instead, after His resurrection, Jesus greeted them with words of peace and forgiveness. He then opened their minds to understand the Scriptures and charged these men—the same men who once failed Him—with the task of spreading the good news of His resurrection. Jesus knew it is better to be a believer who sometimes fails than not to believe at all.
Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you. [George Mueller]
It was the week before the Passover and Jerusalem was teeming with pilgrims who’d come for the celebration. News of the rabbi who’d brought Lazarus back to life was spreading through the crowd. As the people prepared to celebrate their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, they hoped for the promised Messiah who would deliver them from the tyranny of Rome. Could Jesus be the one to do that?
The Israelites were camped on the east side of the Jordan River, in view of Canaan, when Moses addressed them. After spending the last forty years as nomads in the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula, can you imagine their excitement at the thought of finally having a place to call their own and their eagerness for a new beginning in a new land? There must have been some apprehension, as well. They weren’t naïve; they knew there would be conflict, battles, and even loss before Canaan was conquered.
I imagine the shepherds probably were more concerned with making it through the night warm, safe, and without losing any sheep than they were with the eventual arrival of the promised Messiah. They certainly never expected an angel to appear to announce His birth nor did they anticipate a host of angels singing God’s praises. Nevertheless, it was shepherds who received the good news that a child was born—a child who would be their Savior, Messiah, and Lord.
In the first Advent, Jesus came as a suffering servant in a manger. In His second Advent, Jesus will return in righteousness as the conquering King who makes all things right. His return means the final destruction of sin, injustice, hate, disease, death, decay and evil. Our God, however, is one of both mercy and judgement and Malachi’s promise of the Messiah included a warning about the coming day of judgment.
Devotions of the Heart 