Practical Proverbial, from Matthew, 8 September 2025. Today's topic: Are We Surprised?
His Word, Our Journey
Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Matthew 26:31-32 (NIV).
With His last meal done, Jesus and His eleven disciples were on their way to the Mount of Olives, to the Garden of Gethsemene, where Jesus had prayed before and where He would seek solace in God’s Spirit before the suffering of Good Friday. It’s unclear if today’s verses were spoken on the way to that place, or they may have been spoken after arriving. What is clear is that Jesus did speak with His friends to prepare them for the strange events that were underway that late Thursday night.
Are we so different from the disciples? Are we dumbfounded and surprised by, well, surprises? Last week, my wife and I took one of our grandkids to Walt Disney World, and I was surprised there. I’ve read the stories about how Disney is doing away with the riverboat and much of Frontierland there at the Magic Kingdom. I’ve seen the pictures, and I’ve read all kinds of accounts of what’s replacing the traditional Americana theming in the middle of the park. But, to be honest, until I saw it with my own eyes, I didn’t really believe it was happening. But it is happening; I saw it with first-hand. I could have, should have, believed what I had read before, but it seemed so strange that the Disney company would do away with entertainment ideas that had been near to Walt Disney’s own heart.
I’m not much different from the disciples. If Jesus predicted I would fall away from supporting Him, I’d probably stare at Him in shock, but, to be honest, it would happen as He said. It isn’t surprising. After all, I choose a hundred petty sins every day instead of obeying the simple things He asks of me. Turn away from lust; hold your tongue; don’t judge; stay quiet instead of gossiping; help strangers: things like these aren’t difficult to do but I find them easy to avoid. In doing so, I’m really avoiding Christ. It’s like I was falling away from Jesus again…
…Just like Peter, John, and the rest on the last night of Jesus’ life. He told them it would happen, and soon after it did. And then the most amazing part of the whole account occurred. He would go ahead of them, to Galilee, to their homebase, to meet them and be with them. He told them this, too, would happen, and soon after it also did. Jesus is now ahead of us as well, in a place where He’s waiting for us after our time in this garden is through.
For more, read Zechariah 13:7, Mark 14:27-28, John 16:32, Matthew 26:33
Lord, I can’t wait to be with You