If I were to ask you, “As a follower of Jesus, what act would you say constitutes a betrayal of Jesus?” chances are you would say something big. For instance, you might say that a follower of Jesus would betray Jesus by killing someone. Another might say that a follower of Jesus would betray Jesus by robbing someone or embezzling large sums of money. Certainly committing such grievous acts would constitute a betrayal of all that Jesus stood for. Today’s passage from Matthew gives me another perspective on this matter of betrayal. In that passage, the disciples’ betrayal of Jesus wasn’t a large, egregious act; their act of betrayal was relatively small and intimate. When Jesus left the disciples alone in the Garden of Gethsemane while he went to pray, he gave them one simple instruction: “stay here and keep vigil with me” (Matthew 26:38 – The Message). So what did the disciples do? They betrayed Jesus’ instruction by falling asleep. In fact the disciples did this not just one time but three times! So what does this have to say to those of us who consider ourselves Jesus’ disciples today? The passage reminds us that - like those first disciples - our betrayals of Jesus often lie in small, intimate acts in our own lives. For instance, we stand by silently as a co-worker tells a racist/sexist/heterosexist joke and perhaps snicker so our co-workers will think we fit in. Or perhaps we scrape a vacant car in the parking lot and then drive off without leaving a note on the windshield. We might even take our frustrations at the office out verbally on our loved ones at the end of a long day. To use the language from Matthew 26:40, all of these examples represent small instances when we “fall asleep” rather than “staying alert”. My hope for all of us today is that we might stay alert so that we don’t find ourselves committing acts of betrayal – big or small! Til next time…
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Thursday, June 19
If I were to ask you, “As a follower of Jesus, what act would you say constitutes a betrayal of Jesus?” chances are you would say something big. For instance, you might say that a follower of Jesus would betray Jesus by killing someone. Another might say that a follower of Jesus would betray Jesus by robbing someone or embezzling large sums of money. Certainly committing such grievous acts would constitute a betrayal of all that Jesus stood for. Today’s passage from Matthew gives me another perspective on this matter of betrayal. In that passage, the disciples’ betrayal of Jesus wasn’t a large, egregious act; their act of betrayal was relatively small and intimate. When Jesus left the disciples alone in the Garden of Gethsemane while he went to pray, he gave them one simple instruction: “stay here and keep vigil with me” (Matthew 26:38 – The Message). So what did the disciples do? They betrayed Jesus’ instruction by falling asleep. In fact the disciples did this not just one time but three times! So what does this have to say to those of us who consider ourselves Jesus’ disciples today? The passage reminds us that - like those first disciples - our betrayals of Jesus often lie in small, intimate acts in our own lives. For instance, we stand by silently as a co-worker tells a racist/sexist/heterosexist joke and perhaps snicker so our co-workers will think we fit in. Or perhaps we scrape a vacant car in the parking lot and then drive off without leaving a note on the windshield. We might even take our frustrations at the office out verbally on our loved ones at the end of a long day. To use the language from Matthew 26:40, all of these examples represent small instances when we “fall asleep” rather than “staying alert”. My hope for all of us today is that we might stay alert so that we don’t find ourselves committing acts of betrayal – big or small! Til next time…
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