Then all the disciples deserted him and ran away
Matthew 26:26-28
"As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take and eat it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
And they sang Psalm 136, they're giving thanks to the Lord for all his enduring grace, mercy, and love. They were affirming their participation in His covenant with them. And in this remembrance, there is an anticipation of the great banquet of all believers who will share in His kingdom come with Christ when he returns.
Jesus is about to be charged with the crime of blasphemy for claiming to be the Son of God.
(v. 63) But Jesus kept silent. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God..."
The high priest will tear his clothes and then these religious leaders will condemn him.
(v. 66) "What is your decision?” They answered, “He deserves death!"
Can man be saved by any other means, by any other way?
Jesus asked that question that night. He was asking if the cross was essential.
He was preparing himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was praying to his Father, our Father who is in heaven.
(v. 36b) "Sit here while I go over there and pray."
(v. 39) Going a little farther, he fell facedown and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
Father...
"If it is possible..."
If man can be saved by being sincere.
If man can be saved by being good.
If man can be saved by being moral.
If man can be saved by being religious, by being part of "The Church".
"If there is some other way...let this cup pass from me."
(v.42) Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done."
Submission, not to his will but to his Father's will. And as if to nail the door shut on that absolute need for his submission to the cross...
(v.44) After leaving them, he went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.
What Jesus nailed home here, what he declared with no uncertainty in his prayer, was the fact that there's is only one way for the salvation of mankind. For if there was another, his Father, in that moment of deep abiding prayer would have given an alternative way. God would have indoctrinated a way if it were possible to do it in any other way. In that moment Yahweh would have shared with his Son the teachings of the Muslim prophet, or Jospeh Smith, or The Roman Catholic idolatries. He would have created a morality, a law, a code, a doctrine by which you could abide by and win your acceptance into his kingdom. In that moment He would have revealed to Jesus all the other ways that would eventually be seen as "another way". If it were indeed possible, surly in this moment as his Son is about to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies, God the Father would have done it. But no, turns out the cross is essential above all else.
And this is why the cross, and Jesus' self-sacrifice there, is so offensive to so many. This is why they imagine so many other things to soften the blow and ease the pain. This is why they reach out to other intermediary people and idols. This is why they fabricate elaborate tales about alien races and transcendental spiritual beings. This is why they follow after false prophets who write new covenants with the help of other spirits and fallen angels. This is why they don't want to hear about the cross and all the expectations that are inherent in it.
There's only one way.
Only one Jesus who prayed for another way and heard "no" from his Father. Only one Jesus who was betrayed by his friends, just as we all have betrayed him. Only one Jesus who forgave all these things. Only one Jesus who prayed for his disobedient disciples and his enemies and sat with them while they slept. Watching over them and waiting with them in the quiet of the night as his persecutors were on their way to arrest him. That Jesus. That loving sacrificial lamb of God who gave himself, all of himself, for his friends.
(v.45) “Are you still sleeping and resting?"
Waiting for the inevitable. And praying. Praying for Peter. Praying for Peter's soul as he falls into denial, and eventually rises up to become his voice of truth. Praying for John as he's about to run off into the woods and into his lifelong struggle for the Word of God and the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Praying for them all, one by one, praying for their strength and resolve as they go through the trials, tribulations, and triumphs preaching and teaching the kingdom and the gospel truths to all the world.
Meanwhile they are weary, frightened, disillusioned and dreaming restless dreams. Probably playing over and over again in their dreaming minds the words of Jesus earlier that evening...
(v.31) "Tonight all of you will fall away because of me, for it is written:"
"I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered."
It's no wonder they couldn't stay awake. Have you ever been so overwhelmed by life that you just want to sleep forever? But you can't sleep, not really. Not a good and restful sleep. You're in and out, awake and half asleep. And just when you really fall off into a deeper sleep, that's when the real evil wicked dreams come and they disturb even that little bit of rest.
At this point in time, the disciples couldn't see very well. They couldn't understand that it was to their advantage that Jesus goes to the cross. They couldn't understand that it was to their advantage that he die and be raised again from the grave. They couldn't understand that it was to their advantage that he then ascend into heaven. And they couldn't understand that it was to their advantage that he then sends his Holy Spirit to guide them. Even though he told them, they couldn't understand.
John 16:7
"Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you."
They couldn't understand that the ministry of Jesus Christ will go on for millennia because he goes away. He's going to send them a helper that is the same as him. And this helper is going to sanctify them for him. He is going to teach them. Even though Jesus already has. He teaches the very same things and brings remembrance of those things Jesus taught. Not new information, not another way or another prophet. And in this way, they will come to understand The Father and the intimate relationship of The Son to the Father. This helper illuminates this understanding and makes it known to Gods people.
John 14:20
"When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."
They cannot know these things unless Jesus first goes.
Goes to the cross.
Goes to the grave.
Goes up from the grave.
And goes again into his heavenly kingdom.
Only then can they know Him truly.
Before they had Him with them.
Now they have Him in them.
Matthew 26:56
"But all this has happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled."
Then all the disciples deserted him and ran away.
*Next time we begin to look into the trial of our Lord. Prepare yourselves. It's going to be hard at times and revealing as well.
#JesusIsKing