Don't drop the ball!

As we were taking communion yesterday in our service, I turned to Matthew’s account of the “Last Supper” found in Matthew 26:26-29. As I read this passage I thought about how this was such an intimate moment Jesus had with the twelve. He has spent the last three to three and half years of His life with these guys. They have built a strong bond, not only with Jesus, but with each other. In just a short time, the friend they called Jesus, would suffer the most horrific death a man could go through and this “Supper” which was actually the Passover meal, would spell it all out for them. Jesus took the bread and said, “This is My body.” Then He took the cup and said, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.” And after eating this meal, Jesus told the men that He would no longer drink with them again until they see him with the Father.

Then Jesus made a comment that struck a nerve with Peter, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.” (Matthew 26:31-32 NKJV) Peter says, “I will never be defended because of you.” And Jesus replies back, “You’ll deny Me three times before the rooster crows.” Now this really upset Peter, “I will NEVER deny You, Jesus, in fact I will die with You.” Yet within a matter of hours, Peter, being the ultimate, super strong disciple, denies Jesus three times and the rooster crowed. And get this, the last time he denied Jesus Peter cursed!

What happened to “I’ll never deny You…I’ll die with You?” It was still there embedded in the heart of Peter. That’s why when Jesus turned and looked at Peter, after that rooster crowed (Luke 22:61), he ran off wailing in tears of sorrow. And we all want to blame Peter for being an idiot. We know he gets a little cocky sometimes as is the case here. I’m sure if we were in Peter’s sandals we would all say the same thing, “I’ll never be offended because of You and I will die with you.” In fact, if you read the text, it says that all the disciples agreed with Peter (Matthew 26:35)! Here’s my point, how many times have we said, and meant it at the time, “I will (You fill in the blank) for Jesus?” yet we never follow through? We had good intentions but we dropped the ball. It is so easy to blame Peter for what he did, yet are we any better? If we don’t follow through with what we promised Jesus, then, no, we are not!

Lord, forgive us for when we fall short. We “drop the ball” many times like Peter did. Thank you for Your patience with us. In Jesus name I pray…Amen. Randy