"At that time, Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets." Then all the disciples left Him and fled. Matthew 26:55-56 NASB
One Sunday evening, I ordered pizza for the teen girls who attend Bible study at my house each week. I love pizza, especially the cheese part, but I have a dairy sensitivity, so I decided to head over to Taco Bell for two crispy tacos, sans cheese (Don't judge, Taco Bell haters.). I hoped to return before the delivery person arrived—even though my kids are teenagers, I don't like them answering the door to strangers. Yeah, I know it's a little silly, but I bet there are a few moms out there nodding their heads in agreement.
Moms are protective.
I arrived home about twenty minutes later to find that the pizza had arrived much sooner than I anticipated.
Warning bells went off. The delivery driver had parked in my driveway, car facing the street, no sign of them in the vehicle, and no one on my front porch.
As if on autopilot, I screeched to a halt, flung myself out of the car, and sprinted toward the front door. Finding the door locked raised the alert to red.
I pounded on the wood with my fist. I may have even kicked it, scrambling for my keys all the while.
"Emma! Emma!" I yelled as I shoved the door open, afraid of what I might find.
And what did I find? Nothing. Not a thing…other than my daughter, precious, safe, and wondering why her mom was raising such a ruckus.
I guess the pizza delivery person had been sitting in the car after all. I didn't see them, but I'm sure they saw my crazed race toward the door. I bet they congratulated themselves on the foresight they had shown by parking in my driveway in a manner facilitating a quick getaway.
To be honest and at times, I imagine myself as brave. I'm Batgirl or Wonder Woman or Super Something (but not Robin).
If I'm faced with danger, I wouldn't run. I would be fierce. I would be cool-headed, calculating, and protect those around me.
Well.
The truth of my potential response could more likely be plotted any place on the courageous to cowardly spectrum. I can't say with certainty how I would react if faced with a similar danger to the one the disciples faced. Just as in the pizza debacle and as a person untrained or unprepared for a crisis, instinct would most likely take over. Especially since I (like the disciples) would not have paid much attention to Jesus' warnings concerning His betrayal.
I'm guessing, furthermore, that if and once I started to run, I would outrun the whole pack.
My survival instinct is as keen as my protective instinct.
Jesus knew they would react this way, by the way. He foretold it earlier in the chapter, but I wonder what He thought and felt as He watched his closest friends flee. Maybe He felt sadness, maybe He felt exasperation, or maybe He felt both and so much more. I imagine Him sigh and shake His head, pinching the bridge of His nose. But that's just make-believe because we don't know what he was feeling.
A few things we do know:
1. Peter, scared and skulking around, did betray him three times before the rooster crowed (Matthew 26:69-75).
2. The "disciple whom He loved" made an appearance at the crucifixion and was entreated to care for Jesus' mother (John 19:26-27).
3. While on the cross, one of the thieves flanking Jesus asked to join Him in paradise (Luke 23:40-43).
4. After three days, an angel perched on the rock at the entrance to Jesus' tomb, now empty (Matthew 28:2).
5. He soon appeared to His followers (Matthew 28:9).
6. These five occurrences barely scratch the surface of the story.
I'm not trying to be hard on the disciples. After all, they were only human. They knew Jesus better than anyone; they had seen His miracles, and at least on a subconscious level, they knew He didn't need their protection.
But praise be to God and unlike the disciples, Jesus didn't run from God's will—He walked straight to it for our good and protection, despite knowing that it led to spiritual separation and a protracted, painful death. When he returned, moreover, he didn't run from his faithless followers.
He sought them out and forgave them.
In the past, He had called them friends.
"No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you." John 15:15 NASB
By returning to them, I believe He reinforced their importance to Him and demonstrated forgiveness toward them.
Wow.
Just like God will forgive us once we decide to follow Christ.
That's all it takes.
Now I have to admit that I like to decorate with bunnies, chicks, and other cutesy, pastel things at Easter. It's happy on a shallow level, but far more meaningful, it represents new life. I especially like multicolored eggs and the family memories associated with them, but I love stories of forgiveness, repair, second chances, and redemption even more. Just like this one. Talk about new life!
Happy Easter, everyone. It's yours for the asking.