Today’s reading seemed long…I suspect that’s just because we are covering some events that I don’t want to think about.
Read Matthew 26 and Mark 14 here
As is always the case, there is so much to discuss in these two chapters. I find that as I am reading I am thinking to myself “I can’t blog about all this…it would take hours…days even.” Then I chase away that thought with the realization that I am not blogging to provide a commentary or study guide. I am simply recording a few of my thoughts as I read through the Bible. It is the reading itself that is of greatest value, not the blogging. Although I do find that if I blog on each passage, I allow it to soak into my thoughts a little more deeply.
The first thing that I noticed today is that Jesus clearly says to the disciples that He is going to Jerusalem to be crucified (or put to death). They should have known this, but their reactions when He was captured lead me to believe that even though they nodded their heads in agreement, they didn’t realize what Jesus was talking about. Personally, I would rather that people would say to me “I don’t understand” or “so let me get this straight…you want…” Either one of those would have cleared up the disciples running away in fear and confusion. I suppose that we believe we know what others are thinking more often than we really do.
Jesus was anointed twice by women during the last week of his life. Once while at Lazarus’ home where Mary poured perfume on his feet, and one at Simons’ home where a woman poured perfume on his head. Both of the homes were in Bethany. Here’s a thought: There are times when our worship of Christ is costly and extravagant…and it could seem like a waste of money to others. For instance, spending large amounts on costly items for worship, or giving money to missions..that sort of thing. Even other Christians might think “that’s a waste”…but if it’s done for Jesus, He never balks at the cost. Jesus knows that He is worth far more than any monetary expression that we could provide…He’s worth it. When it’s spent for Jesus, it’s never a waste.
Judas betrays Jesus. some wonder if Judas later repented, but this passage says “it would be better for that man if he had never been born” which leads me to believe that he didn’t repent. Here’s an odd thought (if you will forgive me)….what does it mean “better if you were never born”? Does that mean conceived but not born, so he would go to heaven? Or does it mean “never created”? I find myself wanting to know God’s definition of “born”, because if God says “born” happens at childbirth…then what should we think about the babies who died in utero, or those who were aborted? Do they go to heaven? I suspect that they do, although there is nothing written in the Bible to back it up.
Jesus prays in the garden, but the disciples can’t stay awake to pray. If they had, perhaps they would have been more discerning of what was going on. If they had, perhaps Peter would not have denied Christ three times. Either way, Jesus would have been captured and convicted…no matter how much they prayed against it….because that was God’s will for Jesus, and Jesus is willing to remain obedient to whatever God wants of Him. It’s not just a matter of praying, it’s a matter of praying for the right things. Jesus knew exactly what was coming, and He went through with it anyway. You and I are protected from knowing the future. I say “protected” because we might very well retreat from certain events if we knew in advance what pain they would cause. If we knew the heartache of seeing a child terminally ill, would we prevent the pain by deciding not to give birth. Would I have agreed to help build a church if I knew that some of my friends would leave the church because of it? Maybe not. As often as we wish we could know what the future holds, we should be thanking God that we don’t know (about the bad times). On the other hand, if we knew exactly what blessings heaven held for us, then everyone would be willing to serve Christ in order to ensure their arrival there. I guess it’s a “trade-off” isn’t it?
Jesus says that “the spirit is willing but the body is weak” in verse 41. I wonder how that could be linked together with Paul’s thought about physical training being of “some value”? Could there be times when my spiritual experience is stunted because I am too weak physically? I wonder if my diet and exercise program (or lack of one) impacts me spiritually? And if that’s the case, could the Lord be “frowning” upon my decision to eat too many pastries and wash it down with too much coffee?
I haven’t even mentioned the Last Supper, and that was a whole sermon on Sunday….and I didn’t get through all my notes even then. For posterity’s sake (those reading this in the future) Passover and Communion are linked. Passover celebrated freedom from slavery in Egypt, and Communion celebrates freedom from slavery to sin. Both required the blood of a lamb. Jesus being the Lamb of God was the ultimate and final “Passover Lamb”. One other thing I just thought of recently. Communion is the beginning of our new life, and it begins to shape our new identity. Celebrating communion celebrates freedom, new future, and a new family or tribe that we now belong to. Through communion we have a new King, a new hope and a new charter on life.
Faithfully,
PR