SUCCESSFUL SUFFERER SERIES
(Author’s Note: While we will be exploring the Scriptures to understand how people responded to Christ, this is not meant to be a modern-day indictment on people who currently hold these positions. In fact, I am hoping that we will see beyond titles and individuals and focus on characteristics. These may not only be behaviors that have been perpetrated against us but we may even be exhibiting some of these characteristics ourselves in response to Christ, as well as others. I am prayerful that this series will give us strength to endure as we reflect on our Lord. His suffering is an example for us as we strive to be Successful Sufferers. Let’s proceed in a spirit of grace and humility as we each receive what the Holy Spirit is saying to us. Blessings, T.L.)
INTRODUCTION
Like Judas, the other eleven disciples were personally selected by Christ to be with Him and to preach the gospel (Mark 3:13-19). They traveled with Jesus, shared meals with Him, listened to His words, saw the miracles that He performed, and participated in His ministry. They knew that He was the Truth and sent from the Father. He [Jesus] said to them [the 12 disciples], “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15-16 [added for context])
The disciples were so certain about Christ and His forthcoming kingdom that the mother of two of His disciples, James and John, asked Jesus to grant her a special request. Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Him [Jesus] with her sons [James and John], kneeling down and asking something from Him. And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”…And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers (Matthew 20:20-21, 24).
They were correct to have faith in Christ and His kingdom but they lacked the understanding of the path and process that was set before Him to fulfill His purpose. On several occasions (including the night that He was taken into custody), Jesus explained to them that He would be betrayed and crucified. Unfortunately, the disciples’ conversation turned to themselves about who was the greatest among them.
And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, “Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying. Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest (Luke 9:43-46)
Their lack of understanding would lead to them being offended because of Christ.
OFFENDED
Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples (Matthew 26:31-35-KJV).
During Jesus’ final hours with His disciples before His crucifixion, He warned them that they would stumble because of Him. A study of the Greek word translated to offended in the King James Version, and its applicable usage in this passage of scripture, will help to open our understanding of what was transpiring between Christ and His disciples. Offended means to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey, to cause to fall away.
What the disciples would experience that night would cause them to doubt Christ. Although the disciples walked with, lived with, and served Christ, this was an occasion that caused them to stumble in their faith. I believe that it is because things did not look the way that they expected. They saw Jesus command the winds, waves, demons, sickness, and death. There was nothing that Jesus encountered that was too strong for Him. I can only imagine that it was unfathomable to the disciples that Jesus would be “conquered” (and they were correct). They had only seen victory after victory and they were not prepared for anything that resembled a “failure”. Also, the disciples had blind spots within themselves that they could not see or acknowledge.
When Christ warned that they would begin to distrust and desert Him, Peter responded that everyone else may be offended but not him. When Jesus prophesied to Peter that he would deny Christ three times, once again Peter rebuffed the idea (and the other disciples agreed for themselves). Although Christ had shown who He is to them through the power of His Word and His relationship with the Father, they were not prepared to see themselves fully. They chose to doubt His Word, instead of heed it. When Jesus gave them an opportunity to pray with Him (and for themselves) before the events of that night transpired, He found them sleeping.
Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41)
FORSAKE AND FLEE
It is easy for us to be in denial about where we really are in Christ. The disciples had forsaken everyone and everything to follow Jesus. They were willing to live for Him and even fight and kill for Him. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough…Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. (Luke 22:38, John 18:10-KJV)
Peter was not going to let the officers from the chief priests and Pharisees take his Lord without a fight. Like us at times, Peter did not understand God’s purpose and plan. So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”…Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” (John 18:11, Matthew 26:53-54)
The eleven disciples had not anticipated that Christ would be taken into custody. Seeing these events unfold, Then they all forsook Him and fled (Mark 14:50). As Christians, we are susceptible to doing the same thing that the disciples did. What happens when life does not turn out as we had planned? What do we do when God’s plan leads us through the valley of the shadow of death? Too often, we also forsake Christ and flee. The difficult and unanticipated circumstances of life can become a seed that causes us to begin to distrust and fall away from Christ. We can stumble in our faith when we become married and invested in a particular path and outcome. Our faith must be in God and trusting His way, despite the journey. Like Peter, it may even lead us to deny Him.
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”…Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed…And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So Peter went out and wept bitterly. (John 18:15-17, 25-27; Luke 22:61-62)
READY TO DIE?
I believe that Peter and the other disciples were able to betray the Lord because despite how far along they were in their relationship with Christ, they were not at the place that they were ready to die for Him (John 13:36-38). I am not implying that they were suppose to stay and fight. It was Jesus’ will that they would not be lost (John 18:8-9). I believe that this experience gave the disciples an opportunity to see themselves (their blind spots), and deepen their commitment to Him. We also may be willing to live for and fight in the name of Christ. Are you willing to die for Him? It does not always mean that we have to physically die for Christ (although, that is ultimately the level of commitment that we must be prepared to make). However, we should be willing to sacrifice and forsake all (especially the patterns, behaviors, and sin that we enjoy and do not want to give up). We must be willing to give up our dreams and vision for His. We must be willing to follow the path that He has laid out for us despite the cost to us. Every time that we are unwilling to die for Christ, it becomes an opportunity for us to become offended, betray, deny, and forsake Him.
As Jesus hung on the cross, all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things (Luke 23:49). What offended them on that night, and what they experienced, had turned from an offense to unbelief. Their unbelief had taken such a strong root in a short amount of time that when reports of the resurrected Christ were given to them from the women who went to the sepulchre, and the two men who encountered Christ on the road to Emmaus, they refused to believe them.
Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen (Mark 16:9-14).
Jesus rebuked the eleven disciples but He also extended forgiveness to them. They would fulfill their responsibility to Him, spread the gospel while they were on the earth, and become fishers of men. Although the Apostle James’ martyrdom is the only one documented in the Scriptures (Acts 12:1-2), it is believed by biblical scholars that most (if not all) of the apostles died a torturous death because of the gospel of Christ. During the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Apostle John saw the apostles and patriarchs in heaven.
Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders [apostles and patriarchs] sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads…the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” (Revelation 4:4, 10:11 [added for context]).
Will you lay down your life for His sake?
To continue this series, click to read BETRAYED: PONTIUS PILATE AND HEROD ANTIPAS
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Copyright 2021 T.L. Lockley. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from King James Version. Public Domain.
Greek word defined by Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Hendrickson Publishers. Public Domain.
