They All Left Him and Fled

We continue with our special series on the stories of the cross with a look at the apostles of Jesus. When the mob came to arrest Jesus, Mark’s gospel tells us that all of them fled – – we want to consider what that meant at the time, and what it meant for their future. But, we must also consider how these disciples represent those of us who call ourselves believers now.

I) Fear and faith

A recurring theme of the relationship between Jesus and His apostles was His efforts to strengthen their trust in Him, interspersed with occasions when their confidence failed – ; ; ; ;

Mark 4:38–41 ESV

But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Mark 5:42 ESV

And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.

Mark 6:49–52 ESV

but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

Mark 8:29 ESV

And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”

Mark 10:28–30 ESV

Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

Faith comes from the evidence we experience, through personal experience and from witnesses – ;

John 20:28 ESV

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Romans 10:17 ESV

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

But faith is only refined by fire –

1 Peter 1:6–7 ESV

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

In the case of the apostles, their faith failed at the moment of challenge – – But they arose much stronger – ;

Luke 22:60–62 ESV

But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

Acts 4:19–20 ESV

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Acts 5:29–32 ESV

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

II) Distance

Peter (and apparently the other disciples) followed Jesus to the trials from a (safe?) distance –

Luke 22:54 ESV

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance.

Other than John, none seemed to come closer – (); ;

Luke 23:48–49 ESV

And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.

Psalm 38:11 ESV

My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off.

Mark 15:40–41 ESV

There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

Isaiah 63:3 ESV

“I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel.

Watching from a distance tells us they did not renounce Jesus (even Peter), but weren’t ready for the front lines yet either

We need to draw closer to God for security – – in the times of testing, distance is not safe

James 4:7–8 ESV

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

III) Judas

He was the one apostle who stayed close by at first, of course that is because he is the betrayer; and the synoptic gospels emphasize the kiss, an affectionate action

He did not want Jesus to be killed – – But that leaves unanswered what he did want to happen to Jesus

Matthew 27:1–5 ESV

When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

He ends up the furthest away from Jesus because he gives up entirely

He represents disciples who quit trying because of guilt or an unwillingness to completely submit to Jesus as their king

Concl: If the Jews represent those who “believe in God”, yet refuse to submit to His absolute rule, the apostles represent those who truly believe. They stumble along, failing at times, yet come back to their Lord, ready to serve Him and others – .

Luke 22:31–34 ESV

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”