You choose Twelve people to pour your life into. You teach and train. You travel and laugh. You expend countless hours with them over three years. They are with you and see you in everyday situations and in extraordinary times. Our world doesn’t really have a name for this. They are much more than associates or apprentices or mentees. There is an element of friendship in addition to the teaching training element. You called them disciples and apostles.
In today’s life chapter we get a glimpse into the hearts of Your Twelve. The human heart is not a pretty organ.
One of the Twelve betrays You. This man for whatever reason barters Your life for money (1-6). He goes to Your enemies and offers to hand You over in exchange for money! And then he goes through with his plan.
I know I am stretching the situation, but I wonder if I (we) ever look at following Jesus as a money making proposition? Health and wealth gospel, name it and claim it gospel boarders on this in some ways.
Oh, God, keep me from this… using Jesus for personal gain… betraying Jesus for the sake of personal gain.
Another of Your Twelve, one of your best students and closest companions and part of Your inner circle of most trusted disciples. And he denies knowing You multiple times in a moment of testing (54-60). Certainly not a premeditated action, yet in the heat of a moment, he caves. You certainly hoped for more, but You saw it coming (34). Despite knowing in Your heart this would happen, it certainly hurt to hear Your most promising disciple deny You.
Oh, God, Peter’s story has been my story. I have caved, I have folded, I have acted this way. I know You forgave and restored Peter. Thank You for forgiving and restoring me as well. To You be the honor and glory.
Now fill me with strength and Your Holy Spirit, that like Peter, I will serve You with everything I have, even unto death if that serves You and Your kingdom plan. Amen.
Though not specifically mentioned in this Gospel, other Gospel writers note that the remaining ten scatter at Your arrest. They race for their lives and rush back likely to the upper room to cower in fear.
Lord, I, too, have scattered, disappeared when I should have been bolder and stood for You and Your cause. They did in heart what Peter did with his mouth. In the heat of the moment they shrunk away for personal safety.
Jesus, I, too, have shrunk away as the wrong moments. Again, thank You for forgiving me and restoring me. And like the others, You restored and You filled them with the Holy Spirit and they turned the world upside down with Your name. May I do that, too, Lord. Filled with the Holy Spirit… may I stand proclaiming to the world Your Name, Your Lordship… Amen.
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