Have you ever wondered what was going through the minds of the disciples during Christ's last hours with them? Can you imagine the spiritual high they must have felt as he broke bread with them and then shared the cup of blessing? Upon hearing Jesus' words, "I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom," (Matthew 26:29) they must have been exhilarated to know that at last the kingdom was coming and that they had a reserved seat at the head table! Wouldn't you have felt that way?
Can you imagine then how they must have felt when Jesus told them that they would be "scandalized" and "scattered like sheep without a shepherd"? He even told them that they all would leave him behind and one of them would deny that he even knew him. Talk about a roller coaster ride!
So here we sit nearly two thousand years later trying to make some sense out of the happenings of those last few hours. I have heard some pretty preposterous things said in an endeavor to sort all this out. I myself have been guilty of the same. For instance, it's been said, "If the disciples had just listened better or been more spiritually in tune with the Spirit's voice ... if they would have prayed or meditated more ... if they had been less selfish ... if they had eyes to see or ears to hear ... then they wouldn't have deserted Jesus at the hour he most needed them."
All this is said to infer that if we had been there, we would have done better.
No, I don't think so!
You see, much of what was happening was beyond their ability to understand. The eternal purpose God was fulfilling in Jesus was a mystery that no one could comprehend until the Cross, Resurrection, and Pentecost! Jesus knew that. That's why he told the soldiers in the garden to let his disciples leave. That's right — he told them to leave. He had promised God that he would protect them; and that's just what he did. You see they couldn't "drink his cup" — only he could. Their "cup" would come later, but not during Jesus' suffering.
My point? Today Jesus doesn't expect his disciples to do what they cannot possibly know to do — not until it's made clear. Like the early disciples, he will protect us until the time comes for us to respond ... like they did! But believe me friends, your time and my time will come, and respond we must!
So has your time come?
What do you understand — what has Jesus made clear — that you are not doing that you need to do?
Let's quit worrying so much about what we don't completely understand and let's get busy doing what we clearly know is true!
