While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled. (Matthew 26:47-56 ESV)
In this chapter we have seen the Disciples abandoning Jesus, step by step. It began by their refusal to beleive what He was telling them about themselves - their denial. They abandoned Him in prayer. And now they are abandoning His plan by trying to intervene, and abandoning Him physically, turning their backs on Him. Our road to walking away from Jesus is the same: refusing to believe His Word, prayerlessness, taking matters into our own hands, and walking away from where we know He is - in the presence of His people. Like the disciples, we don't just walk away, we flee. It's time to turn back.
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