Matthew 26:30-46
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Reflection
In Matthew 26:30–27:10 we come to the story of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion. It is also the story of the failure of his disciples to be faithful to him during the time of his greatest difficulty. When the religious and civic leaders came to arrest Jesus, all the disciples eventually abandoned him. Despite the disciples’ claim that they were willing to die for Jesus (26:33, 35), they all failed miserably. They didn’t even have enough compassion to stay awake with him during the stressful night of his arrest (vv. 36–46).
Jesus knew that his disciples would be faithless (vv. 31–35), but he hinted at the hope of forgiveness and restoration when he said that he would go before them to Galilee (v. 32). Though they abandoned him to his death, it was a death that paid for their sin, including the sin of their unfaithfulness to him (v. 28).
1 Corinthians 9:1-18
9: Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?
8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more?Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.
15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Reflection
First Corinthians 9 illustrates what it means to give up our rights for the good of others. As an apostle, Paul has the right to financial support (vv. 4, 6–12). But love for Christ drove him to give up this right, so that others would understand that God’s saving mercies are a free gift (v. 18), not something that can be purchased.
The source of Paul’s selfless action is the transforming power of the love of Christ, who gave up so much to become a servant for our sake (Mark 10:45; Phil. 2:7; 2 Cor. 8:9). When we are gripped by such love, we experience a passion to make him known to others. In the light of this passion, our focus on personal comfort and freedom begins to fade into the shadow of a greater purpose. We now live to advance the gospel and the blessings it brings.
Psalm 108:3-4
3 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. 4 For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Like the disciples, we cannot put our hope in our faithfulness to Christ. Our security comes from the faithfulness of God to us despite our fickleness. Prayerfully consider whether you are basing your confidence on your abilities to serve God, or on Christ’s ability to help you.