36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. 45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Matthew 23: 36-46)
Thirty years away from the church has let me see the bible with new eyes. As we entered Holy Week, I’ve put aside my daily readings from other authors and focused on these parts of the bible instead – Jesus’ final days. I’ve compared each gospel to the other, gleaning bits as I go – each one of them told the story slightly differently and focused on a different part.
One half of Matthew 23: 56 really hit it home to me.
(Jesus said)…” But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
At Jesus’ final moment of need – in the Garden when he prayed and then when he was arrested – his friends abandoned him.
Matthew gets mad props from me here because he admitted how weak they were at that moment. It’s easy to focus on Judas’ betrayal or even Simon Peter’s. But the reality is that every one of the disciples fled. They left Jesus alone in his darkest hour.
I’ve thought a lot about those moments and what they must have been like for Jesus. I could focus on that betrayal and the pain He must have felt. After all, it’s something I think we all can relate to. But what I’ve focused on instead is the fact that Jesus did it anyway.
Jesus did it anyway.
Jesus faced that betrayal and still made the choice to love us enough to die for us. My friends, there is nothing more humbling and awe inspiring than that. My goal is to live my life in a way that makes me worthy of that sacrifice. And to remember that no matter what, God loves me anyway.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. (1 John 3:16)