Focus: Check Yourself Out!

Text: Mt.26:56

"Then all the disciples forsook him and fled."

At the critical moment of His life, His disciples left Him. They all turned tail and fled, leaving their Master to the whims and caprices of His captors. At the time He needed them most, they abandoned Him. Fear was the motive for their regrettable actions. Matthew reports that "all his disciples forsook him and fled." One of them, a young man, even had to flee naked, because losing his clothes was preferable to being arrested along with his Master. 

Fear is certainly behind most of the errors we commit.

When His disciples should have prayed with Him, they slept, and when they should have stood with Him, they forsook Him. They could not watch with Him for just one hour. They failed and disappointed Him. Perhaps, it was on a second thought that John came back and stood with the Lord at the cross.

Paul cried out, "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world…" (2Tim.4:10). The first time Demas was mentioned in Scripture, we read, "Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you" (Col.4:14). Demas and Luke send their greetings to the Colossian church. The next Scripture says, "Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers" (Phlm.1:24). Paul here describes Demas as one of his fellow labourers. It was this same Demas who, for his love of the world, decided to part ways with Paul.

Paul cried out once again, "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works" (2Tim.4:14). Paul must have suffered a lot of heartbreak from trusted friends and Christian brothers. His heart bled from the hurts inflicted on him by loved ones. Look at that expression: "Much evil." How we suffer 'much evil' from unexpected quarters! Close associates, all of a sudden, had other plans to pursue, making or prompting Paul to declare, "Only Luke is with me…" (2Tim.4:11).

John also cried out, "I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not" (3Jh.1:9). Did you get that? Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence. He was a domineering person. He loved to be in charge. If he was not leading, he would ruin things for those who lead. He was a controller. He was a self-centered Christian. He had a cocky attitude and a domineering personality. He would not receive John and others.

Diotrephes was really evil. John says, "Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his DEEDS which he doeth, PRATING against us with MALICIOUS words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church" (3Jh.1:10). It is very obvious that his heart was desperately wicked. Imagine banishing fellow believers from the church! That was indeed a demonic temerity!

John finally cautioned, "Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God" (3Jh.1:11).

The Lord Jesus said to Judas Iscariot, "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" (Lk.22:48). Judas' friendly kiss was truly the kiss of betrayal and death. By that kiss he handed over his Master to his enemies. He sold his Master for monetary gain. Judas Iscariot was both a thief and a traitor. John wrote of him, "This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein" (Jh.12:6). He pilfered the sacred purse and helped himself with holy funds.

The disciples, for cowardice, forsook their Master. Demas, for the love of the world, forsook Paul, his fellow labourer. Alexander the coppersmith was all out, antagonizing and mistreating Paul every chance he got. Diotrephes disrespected John and other fellow believers. Judas Iscariot, for the love of money, betrayed his Master.

Do you see yourself in any of these people? Check yourself out! Look inwards and see if you are not in any ways guilty. David says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Ps.139:23-24). 

For God's sake, it is not fair what we do to ourselves. Abraham said to Lot, "Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren" (Gen.13:8). We are brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us stop hurting each other! Let us be mindful of our attitudes and actions! Check yourself out!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter