John 18

Posted on May 1, 2017 in Bible (NT) in a Year |

Monday, May 1, John 18

What happens when your world falls apart in front of your eyes?

These disciples who had been so loyal and faithful. They had left home and family (Mark 10:29) and all that they knew to follow Jesus. And now they are running from him… denying they knew him, hiding out as best they could so as not to found. Their world just fell apart and all that they thought they knew was now changed. Their leader, their teacher, has just been arrested. 

Isn’t it interesting how they chose to arrest Jesus at night in a secluded place – wasn’t Jesus visible and often in public places day after day? It seems to me that when someone doesn’t want anyone to know what they are doing, they choose to do so in the dark… sneaking, lurking.

Jesus had just finished praying – a deep, passionate, sorrowful prayer. One where he asks for the trials that he will be facing to be removed. “Let this cup pass from me.” But even as he is praying this prayer, he has also prayed for the disciples, the same ones who in moments will be running for their lives, claiming to not know Jesus. As hard as this is for us to read, his closest friends leaving him to face crucifixion alone, we know that it was not unexpected. Jesus knew they would scatter. Didn’t he just tell them hours earlier, John 16:32 (NLT) 

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone.

No their reaction was not a shock to Jesus. He knew how frightened they would be. And yet his prayer is for them. He loves them and knows them so well that He reassures them by saying “Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.”

How profound that is for us to remember. Even if our closest friends desert us in our hour of need, if we are left all alone, we are never along because the Father is with us, Jesus is with us “I will be with you until the end of the age” Jesus tells us.

Even though the disciples will leave him, he also knows that these are the men who will carry His message to the ends of the world. He needs them to not lose heart and so he tells them,

“ I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

 (John 16:33). But in the meantime, the disciples are scattering and hiding, feeling like their world has fallen apart. Not knowing what the next days will be like, what to expect.

How often have we experienced these moments? Not knowing what tomorrow will bring? Sitting at the bedside of a loved one, will they regain consciousness? Will they recover? It’s past curfew and your child is not home yet? Where are they? Several people from work just got laid off… will I be next? I really messed up and now I’m in a situation I don’t think I will ever be able to get out of? What will tomorrow look like? What will the world do to us?

And then we remember, Jesus said, “

Take heart, because I have overcome the world

.”

Nothing that happened to Jesus that day was unplanned, nothing was a surprise to Jesus and nothing that might happen to us, will come as a shock to Him. He will forgive Peter his denial, He will forgive the disciples their abandonment. And in a few days, all that has brought sorrow, will be turned to great joy. Jesus only wants to do the same for you.

Living By His Grace

Pastor Kathy