In Matthew 26: 30 after Jesus shared the meaning of the bread and wine with His disciples we read: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. 31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
The word offended here means ‘made to stumble’. Peter, who was sure of his devotion to Jesus, argued that he himself would never be offended by Him no matter what….and the other disciples said the same. But Jesus knew better.
Then they came to a place called Gethsemane and Jesus told them to, “Sit here while I go and pray yonder.” He took Peter and two others aside and told them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Wait here, and watch with me.”
He went a little farther and fell on His face and prayed. “Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
He then returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “What?” He said to Peter, “Could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation.” He went away again and prayed….only to return and found them sleeping again. After the third time, He told them, “Sleep on now, for the hour is at hand and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
Even though He had told his disciples what was about to happen to Him, they evidently did not expect it to happen so soon, or the significance of His words had not been understood. How alone and forsaken Jesus must have felt when He saw them sleeping. Still He understood that His Father’s plan for our salvation must be carried out. Later, while hanging on the cross, He prayed for those who sought to destroy Him: “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.”
It is Easter, the day we remember how God sacrificed His only Son and through His resurrection proved to the world that He was who He said He was: The way, the truth and the life. They could find no wrong in Him, they just wanted Him to stop. Their fear of the power He had to change their very lives was so strong it led them to crucify the only one that could have saved them.
The power of Jesus’ name and His ability to save is needed today more than ever, as time is getting shorter with each day that passes. Last week I wrote about Jesus and the fig tree. He was hungry and looked for fruit, but all He found were leaves. He told the tree that no more would it ever grow fruit and no man would eat from it ever again….then the tree wilted and died.
Many times Jesus needs and chooses us to do certain things, such at witnessing to others and sharing the good news to those who are hurting. We must stay alert and listen for His urging through the Holy Spirit. The next time He needs us to witness, or maybe just to pray, will we be ready and willing, or will He find us sleeping? When He looks to us for the fruit He desires from us will He find some….or just a bunch of pretty leaves?
