The shepherd struck, the sheep scattered

The shepherd struck, the sheep scattered

Scripture:

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

Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same. Matthew 26:31-35

Observation:

Speaking of the night of His arrest, the Lord prophesies to His disciples how they will all fall away according to the Scriptures. Yet He also adds how He will rise again, and go ahead of them into Galilee. Even before He died, the Lord was fully aware that He would rise again and meet His disciples again.

The disciples naturally refuse to accept their cowardice, claiming that they would never leave Jesus even if it meant dying with Him. Peter in particular boasts how even if all fall away, he would remain true to the Lord. However, the Lord prophesies to him specifically how he would deny Him three times before the rooster crows.

Application:

Earlier, the Lord had warned His disciples, whoever acknowledges Him, He would acknowledge before God the Father in Heaven while whoever disowned Him He would likewise disown. On the night of betrayal, all his disciples fell short there, especially Peter. However, the Lord already in essence forgave them in advance, knowing that they would be restored when they met Him again in Galilee. Later, after being given the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples would receive boldness to proclaim the Lord throughout their lives right up to martyrdom.

In the Christian life, there are ups and downs, and sometimes we may be “sifted like wheat” like Peter. We fail in our humanity and weakness. Yet in spite of this, the Lord gives us His grace, even declaring ahead of time, our future position where we will be fully restored and in communion with Him.

For our part, we need to remain humble, to know that if even the Lord’s closest disciples fell away at the hour of trouble, we too can easily give in because of our fears and weaknesses. In these last days, where trouble is imminent for all true Christians once the Anti-Christ appears, we need to be prepared and seek God humbly, asking for His mercy.

Prayer:

We praise You and love You, Lord, for the great things You have done. We thank You for the disciples, and even the record of their failures, for it shows us Your great mercy and grace for our fallen race. Forgive us, we pray, and restore us again that we might serve You faithfully and passionately. Give us more and more of Your Spirit of boldness we pray. Even in these last days, O Lord, pour out Your Spirit abundantly upon us. In Jesus name, Amen.