April 10 | The Sixth Sunday of Lent | Fall Away
Read Mark 14:12-31
I would never! The disciples were so certain that they would never fall away. They would never betray Jesus. They would never desert Him.
This passage is one of the most beautiful parts of Mark’s Gospel. In between the story of betrayal and the story of denial, Jesus institutes Eucharist.
In between the foretelling of the worst kinds of abandonment by His friends, Jesus tells them that his body and blood were given for many. He institutes the New Covenant of forgiveness through His blood and body even as his death was imminent. He put the bread and wine of forgiveness into the very hands that would betray him, deny him, and flee.
Even though Jesus knew exactly how his friends would deny Him- He still died for them. He still invited them to the table. In this, there is hope for us. Even though Jesus knows our sin, our brokenness- He willingly gave His life for us. Even though He knew how messed up His Church would get, He gave His body and blood for us anyway.
Today, let’s confess how very much like the disciples we are, how very prone to not live up to our promises to Him. And let’s praise Him that He loves us and welcomes us anyway.