MARK 14:43-50
I’ve always been fascinated by the events surrounding the arrest of Jesus. The disciples
have shared their last Passover meal with Jesus and the drama shifts to the garden.
As hard as they try, the disciples attempt to stay awake, but their eyelids are heavy with
sleep and they let Jesus down.
Now the mob has arrived with the clubs and swords. I wonder what it means that
the chief priests, legal experts and elders sent a mob to arrest Jesus rather than coming
themselves. We have the telling kiss from Judas and Jesus is arrested. The last verse is
where I get stuck. “And the disciples left him and ran away.”
They ran away! Here they had followed Jesus for three years! They had left their
homes, their families, their livelihoods and when the going gets really tough? They leave
him and run away! I want to think that I would have stayed. I would have stood by my
rabbi. I know I would want to defend him and face my own consequences. But who am
I really kidding? In reality, I have run away from him a lot in my life.
I have abandoned him when I’m sitting on an airplane and someone asks me what
I do for a living and I say I’m in social work instead of telling them I’m a pastor. I run
away from Jesus when I don’t speak out for the hungry and the homeless. I run away
from him when I don’t invite my neighbor to be part of a community of believers that
offers a way to experience the love and grace of God.
We know the rest of the story. We know that God doesn’t give up on this rag tag
team, but through the resurrection the disciples are empowered to further the mission
of Jesus. Let’s not get to the rest of the story too soon. Today I invite you to dwell with
verse 50 and contemplate ways that you run away from Jesus. How might you commit
to change? What are some ways you might walk with Jesus and tell others the Good
News of God’s gift to the world!
Prayer:
Holy One,
Help me ponder the ways
I have run away from you.
Equip me with your grace,
love and forgiveness so that
I share the Good News of Jesus
with others.
Amen.
Steve Moore is pastor of Lafayette Christian Church.