A Time of Testing...
Reading: Matthew 26
Some of us remember the days when you could get things "on
appro" - "on approval". I haven't heard the term
for a long time, though something similar still seems to work
in many country communities. The larger stores may not be able
to do it that way - you pay for the article up front, and return
it for a full refund if it doesn't fit.
Our clothing shops all have fitting rooms. So the "try-before-you-buy"
principle is well established in our society. Some have tried
to apply the principle to relationships as well, insisting that
"living together" is the only way to be sure you will be
able to make a happy and lasting marriage. But it doesn't work
that way - hence the saying that "marriage spoils a good
relationship." In reality, the relationship before marriage
has spoilt the marriage. A life-long commitment provides the best
possible basis for successful marriage - a principle that carries
over into other societal relationships as well.
The Twelve
Jesus had called twelve disciples to follow him. What a mixed
bunch they were! Peter, Andrew, James and John had been successful
fishermen. Peter was rather impulsive and short-tempered. James
and John got the nickname "sons of thunder." Then there
were Philip and Bartholomew. We don't know much about them. It
is possible that the latter was also known as Nathanael - the
Bible scholar who was very sceptical at first. Matthew had the
dubious reputation of having worked for the Romans as a tax-collector.
Thomas seemed to miss the point again and again. Then there was
James the son of Alphaeus - but we know next to nothing about
either father or son. Simon the Zealot had been part of the Jewish
underground resistance movement. There was a Judas the son (or
possibly brother) of James - but it's not clear which James. And
Judas Iscariot - the man from Kerioth who looked after the money
bag and was suspected of dipping into it for personal profit.
Not only had they come from different backgrounds - but significant
personality differences were still evident after three years together
with Jesus.
But Jesus doesn't call people "on appro." The call was
definite and specific. Following Jesus wasn't a temporary matter
- the call was for life. In Matthew 26, Jesus was again speaking
specifically to them - "As you know, the Passover is two
days away - and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified"
(v. 2). What would their response be?
The Perfume
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon
the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive
perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the
table.
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this
waste?" they asked. "This perfume could have been sold
at a high price and the money given to the poor."
Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering
this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you
will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When
she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for
burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached
throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in
memory of her." (vv. 6-13)
Matthew tells us that the disciples were indignant that the woman
had poured expensive perfume on the head of Jesus - "Why
this waste? This perfume could have been sold at a high price
and the money given to the poor" (vv. 8-9). [It is interesting
how generous we can be with someone else's wealth!] The discussion
between Simon the Zealot and Bartholomew could have gone like
this -
Simon | It's a bit late now!
|
Bartholomew | What do you mean?
|
Simon | It's no use - it's spilled!
|
Bartholomew | Yes, and...?
|
Simon | Remember that rich young ruler?
|
Bartholomew | I get you! He was told to sell all he had and to give it to the poor!
|
Simon | This woman should have done that too!
|
Bartholomew | But it's too late - just like you said...
|
Simon | Jesus has to be consistent!
|
Then one of the Twelve - the one called Judas Iscariot - went
to the chief priests and asked, "What are you willing to
give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for
him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity
to hand him over. (vv. 14-16)
John tells us that Judas "objected" (Jn 12.4-6), Matthew
that all the disciples "were indignant" (Mt. 26.8-9).
They were all rather shocked by the extravagant gift, but, for
Judas, this is the point where his loyalty to Jesus snapped.
Surely not I, Lord?
When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve.
And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth,
one of you will betray me."
They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other,
"Surely not I, Lord?"
Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the
bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it
is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son
of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not
I, Rabbi?"
Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." (vv. 20-25)
Surely not, Lord!
Follow, follow, follow Jesus -
all the way I'll follow him!
Hear him teaching,
see him healing -
surely Christ the Son of God!
Someone here will soon betray you?
Surely not, Lord! No one here!
You can trust us
to be with you -
you are Christ the Son of God!
Follow, follow, follow Jesus -
all the way I'll follow him!
Hear him teaching,
see him healing -
surely Christ the Son of God!
People out there want to kill you?
Surely not, Lord! Not out there
when the people
really know you
as the Christ the Son of God!
Follow, follow, follow Jesus -
all the way I'll follow him!
Never killing,
only thrilling
to the Christ the Son of God!
Who is he who will betray you,
or deny you, or forsake you?
Who is he...
or is it me?
Surely not, Lord! Is it me?
Jesus had said, "The one who has dipped his hand into the
bowl with me will betray me" - that could have been any one
of them. There is no indication that the other eleven thought
it might be Judas. Nor did they grasp the significance of Jesus'
private interchange with Judas.
For them all, the issue of betrayal, denial and forsaking Jesus
would force them to reconsider what it meant to follow Jesus.
Not one of them would follow him to the cross - at least not yet,
and not that cross. There was something unique in his dying. It
was for them in a profound way that they could never understand
until they had denied, forsaken - and been restored.
As You Will, Father
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane,
and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and
pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with
him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to
them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of
death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and
prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken
from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could
you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter.
"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.
The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it
is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it,
may your will be done."
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their
eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed
the third time, saying the same thing.
Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are
you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the
Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us
go! Here comes my betrayer!" (vv. 36-46)
Gethsemane
He came
to do the Father's will,
yet still
he faced
the pain and shame
and killing
of his mortal frame.
This cup
he'd come to drink -
uniquely his
since e'er the fall
of humankind.
To die is human.
But to die
for all of human sin
is for the one
both human
and divine.
No weightier load
could break the power
of sin and death.
My Father,
there is no other way!
I'll drink the cup -
your will be done!
"Your will be done" - that is part of the way the Lord
taught his disciples how to pray. Sometimes we think acceptance
of the will of God is the way to sweet peace - more akin to the
sleep of the disciples than to the agonising praying struggle
of Jesus in the garden.
The call to follow Jesus seemed so simple, appealing and challenging.
How can this lot truly engage the will of the Father - and truly
live that will?
They do not understand it yet. But this can only be as Jesus takes
the cup of suffering and death. Following Jesus may well lead
them to a martyr's death, but not to this daunting Redeemer's
death which Jesus is now facing for them and for all humankind.
He had asked their human support and comfort, and they had failed
him.
The Betrayal
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived.
With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from
the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer
had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man;
arrest him." Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Greetings,
Rabbi!" and kissed him.
Jesus replied, "Friend, do what you came for."
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With
that, one of Jesus' companions reached for his sword, drew it
out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his
ear.
"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him,
"for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you
think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my
disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would
the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
At that time Jesus said to the crowd, "Am I leading a rebellion,
that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every
day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest
me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets
might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him
and fled. (vv. 47-56)
Betrayed by the sign of friendship, Jesus refused either an earthly
sword or a heavenly army in his defence. He has accepted the cup
of suffering and death - the cup of the divine wrath against sin
- he moves and acts out of commitment to the Father and commitment
to fallen humanity. Betrayal by Judas and desertion by the rest
of them is the beginning of his path of suffering.
The Denial
Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest,
where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But
Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of
the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see
the outcome...
Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl
came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee,"
she said.
But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're
talking about," he said.
Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and
said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of
Nazareth."
He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!"
After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and
said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives
you away."
Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them,
"I don't know the man!"
Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus
had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me
three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. (vv.
57-58, 69-75)
Have Mercy!
Dear Friend,
I sensed
the stabbing pain
of the betrayer's kiss -
the sign of love
that condemned you.
And here am I -
so sure and strong -
I said
I didn't know you!
And it was true
in a way -
I don't understand
your love
that healed the ear
of one
who meant you harm!
I didn't know you,
nor did I know myself!
And yet my life
is bound up with you,
and in denying you
I have denied
myself.
I cannot undo
my frightened words,
and now you go
the way of wicked
wilful
human whim.
Or can it be
the Father's will?
Lord, have mercy!
Have mercy on me!
Jesus called twelve to follow him. He didn't get them "on
appro." In John 17 we hear Jesus praying for them, "Holy
Father, protect them by the power of your name - the name you
gave me - so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with
them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave
me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so
that Scripture would be fulfilled" (vv. 11-12).
Judas had now fulfilled the words of David, "Even my close
friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up
his heel against me" (Ps. 41.9). But had the others been
"protected", "kept safe"? They had failed,
but God's grace is for failures, God's forgiveness is for those
who sin.
As we noted before: For them all, the issue of betrayal, denial
and forsaking Jesus would force them to reconsider what it meant
to follow Jesus. Not one of them would follow him to the cross
- at least not yet, and not that cross. There was something unique
in his dying. It was for them in a profound way that they
could never understand until they had denied, forsaken - and been
restored.
What about us? What are the points at which we betray him, deny
we know him or even forsake him? Jesus loves us! He didn't call
us "on appro" - to withdraw from us if we didn't suit
him. Our betrayals, denials and forsaking aren't the end of the
road in our relationship with Jesus. He died for us! Accept his
forgiveness! Receive his grace!
© Peter J. Blackburn, Ayr Uniting Church, Maundy Thursday,
28 March 2002
Except where otherwise noted, Scripture quotations
are from the New International Version, © International
Bible Society, 1984.
Back to Easter Sermons
Back to Sermons