Read Matthew 26:30-35
That’s Never The End Of The Story.
After Jesus and his disciples finished eating, they sang a hymn and then went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me…” Meaning because of what will happen to him, thus fulfilling the Old Testament prophecy in Zechariah 13:7 – “I will strike down the shepherd [Jesus], and the sheep of the flock [disciples] shall be scattered.”
Then Jesus said, ” But after I have been raised [from the dead], I will go before you to Galilee.”
Jesus had some good news and bad news. First the bad news: Jesus said you all are going to lose your leader; and because of what is going to happen to me, all of you will fall away and deny me. Peter was quick to respond saying he would NEVER fall away! Sadly, Jesus said to Peter, actually you will deny me three times. Then Peter said, even if I have to die, I will not deny you. All the other disciples said the same thing.
That’s the bad news! Now the good news! Jesus said you will lose me as your leader but “after I have been raised [from the dead], I will go before you to Galilee.” The Greek word for “before” is PROAGO, which means, “to go first.” This is the good news, Jesus will go first before them and lead them again to a fresh new start. The fresh new start includes the coming of Holy Spirit that will empower them in order to carry out the fresh new calling he has for their lives.
Over the many years of my life, I remember great pastors who fell from the Lord because of unfaithfulness. They had thousands of thousands of followers. I remember in Sunday school at church that we were talking about this one Pastor who had fallen away from the Lord. Someone said in our class that he would never do what that Pastor did. Another person spoke up and said don’t ever say “NEVER.” Jesus was the leader of this pastor’s life and then he fell away from the Lord. Just like this pastor, we are all susceptible to “falling away” from The Lord.
But guess what? THAT’S NOT THE END OF THE STORY! There is good news: the Lord is ready to be our leader again, to forgive us and empower us with this Holy Spirit in order to carry out the fresh new plan he has for our lives. Remember this good news! Don’t hold on to your past failures. Let go of them and hold on to what God has for you today and tomorrow. Be ready for his fresh new start!
Who is leading your life today? You? The world? Or the Lord? Make it the Lord!
