No Fleeing

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

NO FLEEING

Matt 26:55-56

55 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. 56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

NIV

Two things are happening here and Matthew does not give us all the details that John does. John tells us that when Jesus saw the detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees carrying torches, lanterns, and weapons, he went out to them and asked who they were looking for. When they said Jesus of Nazareth, He said, “I am He”. What happened then was the power of God, for they all fell flat to the ground. Matthew then fills in more of what Jesus said. Perhaps they were still flat on the ground when Jesus said these words Matthew records, however, it is more likely they had recovered as Judas managed to kiss Jesus, indicating that Jesus was the one they were looking for. Either way, Jesus makes it clear that he is still in control and the power of God is at work by telling them that what they are now doing is because God has ordained it to be this way. God spoke it through the prophets and so these men are simply being used by God to fulfill His plan, as we have seen before. We also know that Jesus is not leading a rebellion, but it is the men who are wanting him dead who lead a rebellion. Men have always been at the center of the rebellion. Once we were rebelling against God, refusing to hear him, refusing to acknowledge him, wanting to lead our own lives, our own way. But Jesus has never led a rebellion, but rather leads men to the truth, to life eternal. It is also interesting that the other thing that is going on in that moment in the garden is that after Jesus says all this, which again would be after they all fell down under the power of God, which his disciples had to have seen and after Peter cut Marcus’s ear off and Jesus healed it, again displaying the power of God, they all deserted him and fled. Hold on just one second. After seeing all the power of God through those three years and experiencing all they did in the presence of Jesus, now when a little pressure is applied, they flee. We know that later they will become strong men of God, under the influence of the Spirit, but still, here is a time when they simply are looking after themselves, afraid and fleeing away from Jesus and the soldiers and officials there to arrest Jesus. We are so blessed and happy about it, that we too have the influence of the Spirit and therefore know that we are becoming strong men and women of God. We should have no concern that we would ever flee Jesus when the heat comes. If fact, both the Prophet Jeremiah and the Psalmist make that clear. As long as we have our roots planted by the stream of living water, Jesus, we will not see when the heat comes, we will not whither, our leaves will remain green, and we will prosper. If only the disciples had read Jeremiah and the 1^st Psalm, perhaps they would not have fled when faced with trouble. We know trouble comes to all of us at some point and we know the Spirit will never leave us, so we can face trouble and overcome it because as he never will flee from us, we will not flee from him.