Day 33 of Lent :: At a Distance

“Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.”
(Matthew 26:56)

At Gethsemane, the angry crowd “seized Jesus and arrested Him.” (Matthew 26:50)  Jesus, fully expecting the mob to come, did not put up a fight.  In fact, Jesus said this had happened so that “the Scriptures would be fulfilled.” (Matthew 26:54) At His arrest, “all the disciples deserted Him and fled.”  No one was closer to Jesus than His disciples.  If anyone should have stood with Him, it should have been one of them.  They had seen and been a part of more miracles than anyone else, but they caved in.  They forsook Him.  They fled.  They left Jesus alone. 

Soon Peter would deny Christ three times.  It is easy to criticize Peter for his outright denial, but there were others who were not even close enough to the scene to disavow knowledge of Him.  Matthew’s Gospel tells us, “Peter followed Him at a distance.” Tricia McCary offers an insightful reflection on this scene:

“We often think of Peter as the one who betrayed Christ, but in reality, he was one of the few who stayed near Him after the arrest.  What might have been his thoughts, feelings, and fears as he followed at a distance?  Place yourself in the courtyard that night.  See yourself being asked about your relationship to Christ.  How would it feel to deny Him as Peter did?  Do you at times deny Him by your life?  By your words or lack of words?

“Jesus was neither surprised nor discouraged at Peter’s failures – He knew it would happen.  In fact, after His resurrection, it seems He may have sought out Peter.  Their conversation is not recorded – just the fact that it took place. (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)  Imagine those moments together.  If it were you, what would you want to say?  What would you want to do?

“Consider your own weaknesses, failures, and sin.  Christ is not surprised or discouraged.  Come to Him today and receive His love and forgiveness, and pour out your heart in love.  Write a prayer of response.”

Prayer: “Oh, Lord, how often I follow You at a distance. The cost of staying by Your side at times seems too great.  I have denied You – maybe not with words, but in a thousand deeds of disobedience.  I need to see Your eyes of love across the courtyard of my life, but too often I find myself running away, tears of regret coursing through my days.  Seek me out, Lord – draw me to Your side with the lovingkindness I sorely crave.”[i]

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[i] Ibid., Tricia McCary Rhodes, 45-46.

Day 32 of Lent :: Turning Back

“I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.
And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
(Luke 22:31-32)

Satan requested to sift Peter as wheat.  Jesus did not deny that request. Instead, Jesus prayed for Peter.  Jesus knew that Peter had to be sifted as wheat because He knew that Peter had his share of chaff that needed to be blown away.  Peter was blinded by his own pride.  Rather than thanking Jesus for His prayers or inquiring about how he could withstand the sifting, he rebutted Jesus by saying,

“Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
(Luke 22:33)

Jesus foresaw Peter’s denying Him three times (see Luke 22:34, 54-62), but Peter would not hear it.  After all, just a few minutes earlier, he was in the running to win the dispute concerning which of them was the greatest.  Jesus knew Peter did know his own heart, yet Jesus accepted Peter just as he was—blinded by presumption and pride.  Jesus does not give him three tips for resisting Satan’s sifting or five steps for standing firm.  No, Jesus knew that as long as there was chaff, sifting was unavoidable.

The understanding grace of Jesus is unmatched and astounding. Knowing full well what would transpire, He prayed that Peter’s faith would “not fail,” and that “when he turned back” he would “strengthen his brothers.” Just as the wounds of Christ bring us healing, God intends to use the lessons we learn from our being wounded and our overcoming our shortcomings to help others.

Reflection: How does it make you feel to know that God can take what was once your lowest, deepest, darkest moment of life and use it to bring strength, healing and encouragement to others? This is your story, and He wants you to share it with others.  Stories remind us of who we are, from where we have come, and to where we are going.  Take a few minutes and reflect on how far God has brought you, how He has changed your life, and how He is currently directing your steps.  Thank Him for what He has done and is doing in your life.

You and I may give one another the impression of being earnest, godly Christians, but before the cross we have to admit that we are not that sort of person at all.  At Calvary the naked truth is staring down at us all the time from the cross,
challenging us to drop the pose and own the truth.

Roy Hession

Day 31 of Lent :: Satan's domain

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.”
(Luke 22:31)

As far as we know, Simon (also known as Peter) had not gone out and initiated a fight against Satan.  Jesus indicated that in some form or fashion, Satan had initiated an attack, or at least had permission to do so against Peter.  The Bible does not give us details of this exchange between Jesus and Satan.  Jesus does not say that He rebuked Satan or denied Satan access to “sift” Peter, but rather it says Jesus prayed for Peter.   Jesus did not refuse Satan’s request.  Why?  Did Jesus see a greater purpose in allowing Satan access to Peter?  Was there something going on within Peter that Satan saw as an entry point of attack?

To this day, Biblical scholars debate whether Satan is on earth or in hell.  Can he dwell in people or only in the world?  As inconclusive as some of these arguments may be, one thing seems to be agreed upon: Satan, the devil, is darkness. Therefore, we can rest assured, wherever spiritual darkness exists, there the devil is.

“If we tolerate darkness through tolerance of sin,” writes Francis Frangipane, “we leave ourselves vulnerable for santanic assault.  For wherever there is willful disobedience to the Word of God, there is spiritual darkness and the potential for demonic activity… Satan has legal access, given to him by God, to dwell in the domain of darkness. We must grasp this point: The devil can traffic in any area of darkness, even the darkness that still exists in a Christian’s heart… Let us recognize, that the areas we hide in darkness are the very areas of our future defeat.”[i]

Reflections: Do you know the areas where you are vulnerable to Satan’s attacks?  Is there an area of your life that is hidden in darkness?  If so, are you willing to ask for forgiveness and rid yourself of that darkness?

The greatest defense we can have against Satan
is to maintain an honest heart before God.
Francis Frangipane

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[i] Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds, 6-7.

Day 30 of Lent :: Sifting as Wheat

“And while they were eating, He said,
‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.’”
 (Matthew 26:21)

Jesus had gathered His closest friends to share the Passover meal with Him.  More important to Him than eating was His wanting to share His heart concerning the impending suffering and death He was facing.  He also announced that one of them would betray Him.

Can you imagine the feelings in the room?  Hearing that Jesus was going to suffer was a blow to the emotions, but hearing that someone among them would betray Him, compounded their anxiety.  Eyes began to roam around the room, locking on sudden expressions creeping across the faces of others.  Immediately, some pulled up mental scorecards kept over the last three years as they traveled together.  Who made the most mistakes?  On long days, which one showed a testy attitude and secretly grumbled?  The lists go on and on as each scanned his internal files for a perfect match for a possible betrayer. 

“Then they began to question among themselves,
which of them it was who would do this thing.”
(Luke 22:23)

Someone finally had the guts to speak up, “Not I.”  Then another chimed in, “Well… don’t look at me.”  In a matter of seconds, there was a buzz of grunts and self-supporting acclamations.  Looks turned to comments. Comments turned to defenses.  Finally, defenses turned to accusations.  Fingers began to point.  Emotions began to rise.  They were no longer whispering, instead, roaring voices clamored to be heard.

“Now there was also a dispute among them,
as to which of them should be considered the greatest.”
(Luke 22:24)

The best way for a disciple to prove that he was not going to be the one to betray Jesus was to prove himself to be the greatest in the room.  All those skilled at arguing employed this tactic at one point or another when they began to lose the battle of words.  This was not merely a mild disagreement.  The word translated as dispute, actually means “an eagerness to contend,” even “lover of strife.”[i]  We do not know how long this argument ensued.  We are not told what line of rationale they used to secure the upper hand.  We are not told whose voice was the loudest; however, it seems at the end of the round that Simon Peter may have been in the lead.

Jesus interrupted their petty squabbling, instructing them concerning true greatness, and demonstrating what pure service to others is.  Changing the subject rather abruptly, He turned to Peter, looked him in the eyes and said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)

Reflection: Do you find yourself talking over others to add your thoughts and comments?  Are you prone to contentedly listen in order to understand another’s perspective, or do you quickly insert your own opinions?  Do you typically answer more questions than you ask?

   If so, you may suffer from the same ailment that afflicted the disciples.  That night in the Upper Room, they seemed to have lost the ability to truly listen to what Jesus was saying.  They could not hear Him over the voices of their own hearts.  They were unable to see past their own expectations, plans and desires to accurately decipher what He meant.

   The thought, “Could it be I who will betray Him?” does not seem to cross anyone’s mind.  Rather than hearts being broken that someone would actually betray Jesus, each became defensive: “I could never betray Him!” 

Prayer: “Lord, show me my heart.  When I interrupt and talk over others, convict me.  Help me to listen—truly listen—rather than become defensive.”

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[i] Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

Day 29 of Lent :: cloud of Smoke

“And while they were eating, He said,
‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.’”
 (Matthew 26:21)

Jesus had gathered His closest friends to share the Passover meal with Him.  More important to Him than eating was His wanting to share His heart concerning the impending suffering and death He was facing.  He also announced that one of them would betray Him.

Can you imagine the feelings in the room?  Hearing that Jesus was going to suffer was a blow to the emotions, but hearing that someone among them would betray Him, compounded their anxiety.  Eyes began to roam around the room, locking on sudden expressions creeping across the faces of others.  Immediately, some pulled up mental scorecards kept over the last three years as they traveled together.  Who made the most mistakes?  On long days, which one showed a testy attitude and secretly grumbled?  The lists go on and on as each scanned his internal files for a perfect match for a possible betrayer.

“Then they began to question among themselves,
which of them it was who would do this thing.”
(Luke 22:23)

Someone finally had the guts to speak up, “Not I.”  Then another chimed in, “Well… don’t look at me.”  In a matter of seconds, there was a buzz of grunts and self-supporting acclamations.  Looks turned to comments. Comments turned to defenses.  Finally, defenses turned to accusations.  Fingers began to point.  Emotions began to rise.  They were no longer whispering, instead, roaring voices clamored to be heard.

“Now there was also a dispute among them,
as to which of them should be considered the greatest.”
(Luke 22:24)

The best way for a disciple to prove that he was not going to be the one to betray Jesus was to prove himself to be the greatest in the room.  All those skilled at arguing employed this tactic at one point or another when they began to lose the battle of words.  This was not merely a mild disagreement.  The word translated as dispute, actually means “an eagerness to contend,” even “lover of strife.”[i]  We do not know how long this argument ensued.  We are not told what line of rationale they used to secure the upper hand.  We are not told whose voice was the loudest; however, it seems at the end of the round that Simon Peter may have been in the lead.

Jesus interrupted their petty squabbling, instructing them concerning true greatness, and demonstrating what pure service to others is.  Changing the subject rather abruptly, He turned to Peter, looked him in the eyes and said, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.  And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32)

Reflection: Do you find yourself talking over others to add your thoughts and comments?  Are you prone to contentedly listen in order to understand another’s perspective, or do you quickly insert your own opinions?  Do you typically answer more questions than you ask?

   If so, you may suffer from the same ailment that afflicted the disciples.  That night in the Upper Room, they seemed to have lost the ability to truly listen to what Jesus was saying.  They could not hear Him over the voices of their own hearts.  They were unable to see past their own expectations, plans and desires to accurately decipher what He meant.

   The thought, “Could it be I who will betray Him?” does not seem to cross anyone’s mind.  Rather than hearts being broken that someone would actually betray Jesus, each became defensive: “I could never betray Him!” 

Prayer: “Lord, show me my heart.  When I interrupt and talk over others, convict me.  Help me to listen—truly listen—rather than become defensive.”

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[i] Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

Fasting Focus :: Week Five of Lent :: The Disciple's Responses

Fifth Week of Lent

The Disciples’ Responses

Social Media and Internet

This week, we will be exploring how the disciples responded to the events that surrounded Jesus’ death.  Though they made bold claims to never deny Him, in the heat of the moment there were many other things clamoring for preeminence in their hearts.

We are surrounded by noise.  Everything is saying, “Look over here,” or “Listen to this,” or “This is what you need.”  These voices, even though they may not be inherently evil, often have the ability to distract us, even numb our hearts and cause our bold declarations of dependence and trust in Christ to become diminished.  We will be fasting all forms of social networking media and Internet this week.  Turn off Twitter, FaceBook, blogs, and news.  Deal with work emails and nothing else.  Put a Lent, Out-of-Office, reply on your personal email, letting people know you will get back to them next week.

Keep journal entries of what it is like to unplug and disconnect.  Do you feel disconnected, or do you feel free?

Instead of spending time connecting with others, use that time to bond with Christ and others to advance His Kingdom here on Earth.

Day 28 of Lent :: Place of the Skull

“Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull
(which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).”
(John 19:17)

Jesus was lead outside of Jerusalem. This is where He was crucified. The events of Jesus death and resurrection are the most significant in all of history. While there is still some dispute over the actually spot Jesus was crucified, it is well documented that He indeed was. Scripture says it was at a place called Golgotha. Calvary is the Latin form of this word. Golgotha is the Aramaic word mean, “the skull.”

Some believe, that this hillside where Jesus was crucified, was named such because the side of it looked like that of a skull. While it is uncertain, we can substantially conclude, that it was named this because it was a place of execution, where skulls and bones of criminals lay scattered. 

For Jesus, Golgotha - the place of the skull, is where His battle ended. For us however, it is at the place of the skull, where our battle begins. In other words, if we are to be effective in following the ways of Christ, the first arena of conflict where we must learn to become victorious, is the battleground of the mind; i.e., the place of the skull. It was on this hill, as Jesus breathed His last breath, that the last round of an unseen war was waged in the realm of the spirit. And, it is in the place of our own skulls, that the unseen battle of thoughts emerges. “The territory of the uncrucified thought-life,” writes Francis Frangipane “is the beachhead of satanic assault in our lives. To defeat the devil, we must be crucified in the place of the skull. We must be renewed in the spirit of our minds.”[i] The words of Andrew Murray are helpful in knowing how to pray. He writes, “As you gaze upon the cross, and long for conformity to him, be not weary or fearful because you cannot express in words what you seek. Ask him to plant the cross in your heart. Believe in him, the crucified and now living one, to dwell within you, and breathe his own mind there.”

Reflection: Meditate on the following verses:

When the Messiah was executed on the stake as a criminal,
I was too; so that my proud ego no longer lives.
But the Messiah lives in me, and the life I now live in my body
I live by the same trusting faithfulness that the Son of God had, who loved me and gave himself up for me.[ii]
(Galatians 2:20)

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
(2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
(Ephesians 4:23 NKJ)

Prayer: Father God, help me to take every thought captive and to be renewed in my mind. Spirit of God, make me aware of thoughts that are not surrendered to the cross of Christ. Son of God, help me to set my mind on Your Word.

My Jesus! Loaded with contempt,
nail my heart to Your feet,
that it may ever remain there,
to love You and never leave You again.
(Alphonsus Liguori)

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[i] Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds, 3.

[ii] David Stern, The Complete Jewish Bible, Galatians 2:20.