Tuesday 31st March

Matthew 26:17-46 | CHARLES MACMILLAN

PASSAGE:

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 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.”

25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,    and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

36 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.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 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.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 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.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

DEVOTION:

Jesus is about to endure the most horrific death, so He gathers His closest followers around Him and they all affirm their unerring support.  Sadly, one will betray Him, another will deny Him and all of them will fall away (vs 31).  

So, what is needed to ensure that they will stay close?  We, like them, can fall away but what can bring us all back to Him? Something simple yet powerful to remind us of what Jesus did, why He did it and why it still matters. Something that will keep us close to Him. Sharing bread and wine – His body and His blood.

The disciples have just eaten the Passover meal remembering Israel’s deliverance from slavery – eating a sacrificial lamb.  Now Jesus reminds them that He is the Lamb of God about to die for them and for us.  And when we take the bread and the cup it’s like we are there too in that Upper Room receiving it from Christ Himself.  And it challenges and empowers us to walk faithfully into the future as His followers.

For Jesus and the disciples Gethsemane is a familiar place of peace and calm - they’ve often gone there.  But this time it’s different.  The disciples have never seen Him like this.  He pours out His soul to His Heavenly Father.  We cannot begin to imagine the pain and anguish He went through and, sadly, even His closest followers let Him down.  He wanted human support - someone just to be there with Him and that is something very important that each of us need and can do for one another.  Let’s all be willing to care and share. And, praise God, that He is always with us!