ALL THE DISCIPLES CUT AND RAN!

In John 13-16, we find Jesus giving His final teaching message to His apostles (minus Judas). Much of what He shares in this late evening session is new information that He has not mentioned before! There seems to be an urgency in His delivery as He recognizes that this is His final lesson before His crucifixion!

He concludes this teaching time by emphasizing the fact that He came into this world directly from His Father! We celebrated that a little over two months ago! Now, however, Jesus wants them to understand that He will soon be returning to His Father!

Here are His words: [John 16:28 All quotes from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted]

"First, I left the Father and arrived in the world; now I leave the world and travel to the Father."

The response of the eleven is noteworthy:

"His disciples said, 'Finally! You're giving it to us straight, in plain talk - no more figures of speech. Now we know that you know everything - it all comes together in you. You won't have to put up with our questions anymore. We're convinced you came from God.'"
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Words are easily spoken! As we read this, we breathe a sigh of relief! "Ahhh, they finally GET IT!"

And then Jesus continues to speak and our assurance wilts:

"Do you finally believe?"

"In fact, you're about to make a run for it - saving your own skins and abandoning me." [vs. 31-32]

Jesus knows that in a very short time, He will be arrested in the very garden where they are talking. He also knows that in that moment, His followers will flee into the darkness to save their lives - LEAVING JESUS TO BE ARRESTED!!!

But before this happens, Jesus prays very specifically for the apostles. It's an intimate prayer! It's opening words are:

"Father, it's time."

Jesus surrenders Himself to His Father! His heart breaks with compassion! He prays for His followers, even "those also who believe in Me through their word" - THAT'S US!
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John does not tell us about the apostles fleeing into the darkness that night - perhaps he was too ashamed to admit it?

Matthew, however, does admit it [26:56]: "Then all the disciples cut and ran."

So does another younger man who has apparently been quietly following them - eavesdropping on these precious teaching moments. We can deduce that his name was John Mark - who later associated closely with Peter and gave us the Gospel of Mark [probably the first gospel to be written].

Without identifying himself, he tells his story in his own gospel account: [Mark 14:50-52]

"All the disciples cut and ran. A young man was following along. All he had on was a bedsheet. Some of the men grabbed him but he got away, running off naked, leaving them holding the sheet."

JESUS KNEW ALL ALONG THAT THEY WOULD ABANDON HIM! And yet, He loved them and prayed for them!
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That's grace! Amazing grace!

Thank Him today for His patience with you!

We have all denied Him at one point or another!

We have all failed Him or refused to obey His commandments.

We have all chosen sin over obedience!

And yet - HE LOVES US STILL!

Thanks be to God, our gracious Lord, and the Holy Spirit! Amen!

SPIRITUAL DRIFTING

In the Wesleyan tradition, we used to call it ‘back-sliding’.

It’s a hallmark of human spirituality! We are imperfect creatures with a strong inclination to do what pleases us. This irresistible tendency conflicts with the call of God to “surrender all” to Him in such a way that “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Most of us who have committed our lives to Christ are familiar with this drifting.

I’ve been worshipping for the last six years in a reformed Presbyterian environment. It’s been a challenge in many ways, but I love the people and see their desire to live lives that are pleasing to God.

Our worship begins EVERY LORD’S DAY by standing together in silence and confessing our sins. Our pastor then powerfully prays with us and – in doing so – reminds us of the many ways we may have strayed from pleasing God during the past week.

What’s that about?

It’s about spiritual drifting!

It happens to all of us regardless of our determination that we will live wholly committed to God this day or week! 

Essentially, SELF GETS IN THE WAY!

We are capable, competent, creative people! God made us this way!  Yet, we don’t get far into our week before we begin to take the wheel as a result of our ‘FREE WILL’ – which, of course, is a gift of God! It’s so subtle! We simply begin to address the issues, situations and even dilemmas in our lives by applying our best wisdom and available resources. We don’t even realize that we’ve begun to live without consulting God! We’ve drifted from seeking His revealed Will [through His Word] and His divine counsel [through the Holy Spirit].

We may not realize what’s happened until Sunday morning during that few moments of guided self-examination – led by our pastor! 

“Oh no! I’ve done it again! Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned!”

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There’s a vivid picture of this in the Bible. We find it in I Samuel 15, where newly appointed King Saul is beginning to establish his leadership legacy.

Unfortunately Saul’s spirit of independence has already been noticed in earlier chapters when he couldn’t wait for Samuel to arrive and consequently audaciously built an altar and began to sacrifice an animal on it to ask for God’s help in fighting the Amalekites.

That occasion was so offensive to God that Samuel said to Saul:             

“If you had kept the appointment that your God commanded, by now God would have set a firm and lasting foundation under your kingly rule over Israel. As it is, your kingly rule is already falling to pieces. God is out looking for your replacement right now. This time he’ll do the choosing. When he finds him, he’ll appoint him leader of his people. And all because you didn’t keep your appointment with God!”

[I Samuel 13:13-14 – All quotes from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted]

SAUL DRIFTED! He began thinking on his own and exercising what seemed wise in his own eyes – and it eventually cost him his kingdom.

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The Charles Wesley hymn – “A Charge To Keep I Have” – comes to mind: 

A charge to keep I have,
a God to glorify,
a never-dying soul to save,
and fit it for the sky.

To serve the present age,

my calling to fulfill,

O may it all my pow'rs engage

to do my Master's will!

Arm me with watchful care

as in Thy sight to live,

and now Thy servant, Lord, prepare

a strict account to give!

Help me to watch and pray,

and still on Thee rely,

O let me not my trust betray,

but press to realms on high.

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Most loving, kind and gracious God:

Father, Son and Holy Spirit:

 

Out of Your Benevolence You have given us:

free will,

creative minds,

and self-motivation.

 

As a result, we are prone to use these gifts to advance Your purposes

and to address the day-to-day problems and situations that crop up!

 

Gradually, we are pushing forward without having consulted with You

or listened to see if You have any guidance for us!

 

Like Saul, we’re operating on automatic pilot as though we are completely capable of solving all of our problems on our own!

 

Thank You for Your patience with us at times like this!

Thank You for being so willing to forgive!

Thank You for allowing us to realign ourselves with You and continue on our journey through life in community with You and others of like mind!

 

Our walk with You brings us JOY!

AMEN!

NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THIS

It’s a relatively obscure passage tacked on to the end of II Samuel 12. 

What’s REALLY important is what fills the preceding vignettes:

·         Chapter 11 – David stays home from the battles of Judah [against the Ammonites] and ends up sinning with Bathsheba!

·         She becomes pregnant!

·         David conspires to have her husband come home from the battlefield and sleep with her – but the plan fails!

·         So, David conspires again by ordering Joab to put Uriah [her husband] in the thick of the battle and then withdraw – leaving him to die!

·         Joab follows David’s orders and Uriah dies in battle; however, eighteen others also die with him!

·         David brings Bathsheba to the palace and takes her as his wife.

·         Chapter 12 – God sent Nathan the prophet to David with a story about a wealthy man who takes his neighbor’s pet lamb and butchers it for guests that have come to visit! 

·         David becomes angry with the injustice of this story! 

·         Nathan pronounces the judgment: “Thou art the man!” referring to David taking Uriah’s wife!

·         David realizes that he has sinned against God!  Through Nathan, God announces a sad reality:  “you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme…”

·         God then announces through Nathan that Bathsheba’s child will die!

·         David fasts and prays, but the child does die!

Then comes our relatively obscure passage.

All this time, Joab – David’s military commander – has been battling the Ammonites.  He has them ALMOST DEFEATED!  He sends a message to David:

“I’m fighting at Rabbah, and I’ve just captured the city’s water supply. Hurry and get the rest of the troops together and set up camp here at the city and complete the capture yourself. Otherwise, I’ll capture it and get all the credit instead of you.”

David is so distracted!  He’s lost his sense of mission and obedience to God!  He never should have stayed home from the battle!  All his pain and future misery could have been avoided – if he had just stayed focused!  There’s mockery in Joab’s message!  He – of all people – knows how far David has fallen!  Yet, in his dedication, he still honors David! 

David has sown seeds of adultery and murder and those seeds will – unfortunately – grow to fruition very quickly!  In the next chapter, one of David’s sons rapes his own sister!  Further down the path, David’s sons will scheme against and kill one another!  All because of the seeds David planted in his own life! 

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Almighty and Ever-Watching God,

We can never allow ourselves to stray from Your ways!  We don’t want to plant seeds of destruction in our family!  Temptations are a part of life!  They’re real!  They often have to do with sex, power, and greed!  We must be ever on the alert!  We must not give in to temptation!  We must stay focused and determined and faithful!  We want to finish well and preserve the integrity of our family for future generations! 

Help us!  Oh, God, we need Your daily help!

Amen!