LUKE 22:66

 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. - Luke 22:56

Did you sleep?  If this happened at daybreak, You had been up since the day before, then the Passover, then the garden, then this.  How much time elapsed from the Peter incident until the chief priests met with You?

Even more impressive, and even more of a reason to put our trust in God.  Not sleep, not power, not our great plans, not other people.  You were on no sleep, all of your friends had deserted You, the people You came for were ridiculing You and beating You - and You answered every question with love, power and conviction.  

This is a good reminder for me today as I think about how tired I am.  I had a full night rest.  I have no one questioning or mocking or hurting me.  No one has deserted me.  I think I can not only make it, but thrive in any situation with Your help.

LUKE 22:65

 And they said many other insulting things to Him. - Luke 22:65

Luke really wants us to know how badly you were treated.  He goes into a little detail about what they said and takes three sentences to basically say, "They insulted Him and beat Him."  

My guess is that Luke really wants us to feel what You were going through.  It wasn't just the physical beating that You took, but also the mental that was difficult.  Luke really does paint a picture of everyone being against You, which in part makes us appreciate even more what You did. 

If I was a gospel writer, trying to convert others with my story, I think I would highlight what You did here too.  This is how much You love us.  This is how much You were willing to go through.  This is how some people felt about You.  Ooooh, I wonder if part of Luke's thinking was, "You who don't believe - don't be like these guards."

Whatever his thinking, I think Luke does a good job of getting the point across.  You would do anything for us!

LUKE 22:64

 They blindfolded Him and demanded, "Prophesy!  Who hit You?" - Luke 22:64

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these 
brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me." - Matthew 25:40

     Double Bible verse!  Boom!  

     I think we all read this and think, "If they only knew who they were talking to!"  We get saddened and enraged that these guys would use their "position" to mock and hurt Jesus.  The fact that they use their "power" over Him to humiliate Him is downright disgusting.  And we see how Jesus reacts and almost are mystified, "Didn't they even have a sense of, 'Maybe this guy is who He says He is.'"  It's horrible how they treat the Savior.

     Let's remember this when we come across ANY PERSON IN THE WORLD!

LUKE 22:63

 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating Him. - Luke 22:63

If I had Your power, I would have used it!  People making fun of me does not go over well.  And You are the Son of God, You created this whole thing.  These little humans, that You created, are mocking You?  And then they start hitting You - like they have some power over You.  Treating You like someone that doesn't matter, when You are the person who matters most in the history of the world.  I bet they thought that they were better than you, more powerful, more worthy.  

I wonder what it was like for the rest of their lives.  Did they ever "get it"?  Did they realize what they were doing, not only to You, but others?  Did You appear to them or did You see them in heaven and be like, "Guess who?"  

I like revenge.  I like to hurt people who hurt me.  I like to see them struggle.  But, that's not You.  So, that should not be me.

LUKE 22:62

 And he went outside and wept bitterly. - Luke 22:62

Wasn't he already outside?  They were making a fire.  Or did he go outside of the temple - place that was called the Court of the Gentiles?  So, when Peter goes outside he is actually going to where the Gentiles would stand, those that "weren't part of the family."  

I'm not sure if he did this on purpose, or if he just wanted to get away from everyone (including Jesus), but it is ironic that he denies Jesus three times and then goes to the Court of the Gentiles.

I guess we all feel like we belong there sometimes.  I know that I do a ton of stuff that makes me feel like I am not "part of the family."  The cool thing is that Jesus doesn't let him stay there - metaphorically.  He brings him back in, and the rest is literally history.

LUKE 22:61

 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter.  Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times." - Luke 22:61

How close were You?  Was Peter denying he knew You when you were close enough for him to see Your face?  Did you hear him saying those things?  That had to hurt even more. 

Wow!  All of Your disciples had deserted You, and the one that stayed around denied even knowing You.  You had no one with You, no one by Your side.  It was just You and the Father - and You handled it perfectly.

I'm not sure we give You enough credit for Your bravery, Your determination, Your courage.  I know that when I am alone, I am a totally different person.  My confidence drops at least 70%.  I am much less likely to say the right thing or handle situations like I should.  But, You did all this and it was just You and the Father.

I guess that's really all we need too, but it sure would make it easier if there was someone to support us along the way.

LUKE 22:60

 Peter replied, "Man, I don't know what you're talking about!"  Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. - Luke 22:60

How many rooster crowed moments have you had?  Those times when you realized you really messed up - I mean really messed up.

That feeling of disappointment, regret, embarrassment - it's hard to get through.  Especially in situations like this where you have not only let yourself down, you've let down the person who you cared most about.  How do you get over something like that?

Well, hope that person is Jesus.  Later, He asks Peter three times if he loves Him.  He gives him a do-over, and Peter goes on to do great things.  For me, there is nothing more destructive than piling mistake after mistake.  With Jesus, we get do-overs.  In tennis, they call that the next play mentality, and all the great ones have it.  It's probably a good idea in life too.

LUKE 22:59

 About an hour later another asserted, "Certainly this fellow was with Him, for he is a Galilean." - Luke 22:59

Gotta give it to Peter.  He doesn't give up.  Right at the start of the evening, two people call him out.  A lot of people might have thought to leave at that moment.  Not Peter.  He's there an hour later and interrogated again.  

Were most of the people who followed Jesus Galileans?  I was kind of under the impression that they came from all over.  But, maybe that's how they knew from the start.  But, did Galileans look a lot different from anyone else?

Those were just sidebars.  What really relates is the "doing something that you know you shouldn't, you forget and then something triggers you and you feel horrible."  I go through a day and realize later I was supposed  - ok, I can't think of a specific situation. 

But, Jesus told Peter he would do this.  And if Peter were thinking straight, there is no way he would deny Jesus.  But he does, and he keeps on doing it.  Maybe it was the pressure, maybe he was scared, maybe he was tired.  Whatever the case, he just keeps doing what Jesus said he would do.  And then the rooster crows and he remembers.

The worst feeling in the world.

LUKE 22:58

 A little later someone else saw him and said, "You also are one of them." "Man, I am not!" - Luke 22:58

One of them!  It's like they were ISIS or something.  Where did this deep hatred of Jesus and His followers come from.  Did people think just because the leaders were bringing Him, followed by soldiers, to the temple courts, He must be bad?  Again, how did they even know?  Were people just hanging at the temple?  Did they see Jesus walk by?  Had the chief priests already spread the propaganda?

It's this quickness to judge that amazes me.  These people had no idea who Peter was, what he had done or what he was all about.  I'm going to bet they had not had an encounter with any disciple.  And I can't think of anything they did that people would be saying, "Be careful around them."

I can see the, "You are one of them" if they were looking for wisdom or if they were almost fanboying.  If it was a term of respect, but I don't think this is what that person was going for.  

I guess we always get in trouble when we make accusations or assumptions about any group of people without getting to know them.  Happy Maundy Thursday.

LUKE 22:57

 But he denied it.  "Woman, I don't know Him," he said. - Luke 22:57

Wow, I don't know Him.  He could have said, "No I wasn't" or "You must have the wrong guy."  But, he said, "I don't know Him."  

Now, I do have a lot of compassion for heat of the moment responses.  And I don't think that this, in any way, shows that Peter is a bad person.  I also know that I can not judge anyone until I have been in the same situation.

So, I guess that's the question.  Have I ever said or implied, "I don't know Him."  Have I ever even been in that situation?  How would I respond?  And, if I have responded in that way, I'm sorry.

LUKE 22:56

 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight.  She looked closely at him and said, "This man was with Him." - Luke 22:56

The firelight got him.  It was nighttime.  It was dark.  If Peter would have never went by that fire, no one would have noticed.  Even as it was, the lady had to look closely at him.  So, is this a story of Peter giving into the temptation to stay warm in detriment to him staying hidden?  Is this a story of his courage to even be following from a distance and going where the people could notice him?  Or is this a story about a guy who was recognized as Jesus' follower?

Not being there or knowing what the disciples were going through, I'll take the latter.  It's kind of cool that this lady knew.  How she knew I don't know.  She couldn't have been in the garden.  It must have been from previous experiences.  However, it happened, she recognized the face and put him together with Jesus.

Which leads me to my real point.  Would someone who lives in Lombard recognize me as someone who was "with Him."  I know that it's a different scenario.  Peter was physically following Him, and she recognized him because of his physical appearance - not how he acted, who he was or what he said.  But, that's all we've got, and I think it would be kind of cool if I was sitting by a fire one day and some lady said, "This man was with Him."

LUKE 22:55

And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. - Luke 22:55

I wonder if my instinct would have been to hide.  Maybe I would have been like Peter and "followed at a distance", but I think I probably would have tried to stay away from people.  I would hope I would have the courage enough to want to see what was happening, but I wouldn't want to have to explain who I was.

I also wonder what people were doing there.  This was at night.  The chief priest's house must have been at the temple, near the temple?  If it's a courtyard, it has to be at the temple, right?  Even so, did they hear that Jesus had been pulled in?  Did they want to see what happened?  Did they do this for everyone?  And if it was at night, how long did they stay?  I know there was a crowd when they all yelled, "Crucify Him."  Was this the same group of people?

I'll give it to Peter.  At least he followed at a distance and he was not afraid to go to people whom he had no idea what side they were on, what they would do or what would happen.  He was at least willing to risk that much. 

LUKE 22:54

 Then seizing Him, they led Him away and took Him into the house of the high priest.  Peter followed at a distance. - Luke 22:54

So many questions.  Why did they take You to someone's house?  Would it have been bad to go to somewhere in the temple?  And was it just the high priest and You in the house or did everyone come in?  Were other people waiting there?  

Why only Peter?  I kind of wish Luke had mentioned what happened to the other disciples.  I'm pretty sure they scattered out of fear of also being captured, but I would have liked some of the details.  Were they all together?  Where did they go?  Were there threats made or did the disciples just know they were in physical danger?  And, as I think about it, no where in Scripture, except for Peter, does it mention the regret or repent of this decision by the disciples.

If it was me, I guess it it tough to say what I would have done.  Seems like most of the followers (and I am definitely more of a follower) took off.  I know Peter gets some bad press in the couple of sentences, but at least he had the guts to follow.

LUKE 22:53

 "Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me.  But this is your hour - when darkness reigns." - Luke 22:53

That is true.  How come they had to come get You at night while You were in a garden?  If they wanted to question You, why not just bring You in when You were at the temple?  They didn't need any one to tell who You were.  You were at the temple all the time.  Maybe it was kind of like me with junk food and pop - if nobody sees you do it, it's like it didn't even happen.  Again, everything points to them deep down knowing that You were who You said You were.  I can see a ton of reasons why they wouldn't admit it or why someone wouldn't stand up to the rest of the chief priests, but I just hope that I don't do that any more.

I guess part of the reason was that darkness got what, like a half a day.  For that twelve hour period, darkness was in control.  But, for every other hour after that - light wins!  I think it's important to remember that.  No matter what it seems like - darkness has already had it's hour.  Sure, there have been times when darkness has won again.  More times than we all wish.  But, darkness gets it's hour, or twelve hours or maybe even a year or two.  But, the light wins!  And the light has a lot more hours than darkness does.

LUKE 22:52

 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for Him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs?" - Luke 22:52

THE REBELLION: You were kind of, are kind of, leading a rebellion.  Rebelling against how "the world" tells you to live.  Forgive, love, sacrifice - now that's a rebellion.  I know, as a person growing up in the church, they always said that people should notice something different about you.  I think that used to be true - now I'm just your average Joe.  I put money first, I complain about my job, I just sit around and watch stuff.  That's not the rebellion!

THE PEOPLE: How many people came to get You in the garden?  It does say a crowd came.  Chief priests, officers, elders - those are all "s"s at the end.  Did everyone just want to be there to make sure it was You?  Were they just caught up in the excitement of the whole thing?  It all still seems so weird.  You could tell they were infatuated by You, but they wanted to kill You.  At some point, it only makes sense that they would have put two and two together and thought, "If we are drawn to this Man, maybe what He's saying is true."

TAKEAWAY: If I (or we) really think about it, we have to come to the conclusion that You were Him (as the kids say!).  And, if You are Him, then we should be leading the rebellion!

LUKE 22:51

 But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And He touched the man's ear and healed him. - Luke 22:51

I like how You shut that down right away.  With the exclamation point, it almost seems that you mean it.....forever!  Like, "This is not the way we handle our problems."  "This is not the way we respond to evil."  "This is not who we are."  And then you fix it.

That's the part that gives me hope.  Just like the disciples, there are times when I act out of anger.  There are even times that I use force or violence (verbally).  There are times when I go against everything that You have taught us.  But, You can fix it. 

My anger, my lack of wisdom, my shortcomings - they are not the end.  You can fix it.  The people who I care most about, even when I fail, You can fix it.  The situations in which I lose it, You can fix them.  The relationships that should be broken, You can fix them.  There is nothing that we can do to separate us from the love of Christ.  And You can work all things to the good.  Thanks for that!

LUKE 22:50

 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. - Luke 22:50

How weird!  To have one of the disciples cut off the ear of another human.  For three years, everyone traveled together peacefully, spreading love, practicing turning the other cheek.  It just doesn't seem right that a disciple would try to stop something by using force.  I mean, put a picture in your head of a disciple cutting off that guy's ear.  Look at his face.  It's not the face of a person who follows Jesus.

But, I guess it's human.  They saw someone trying to take their leader, their friend, their Messiah away and they reacted.  A lot of times our first reaction is anger, retaliation, violence.  At least mine is.  That's weird.  I can't picture one of Jesus' disciples using force to solve a problem.  But, I'm a disciple, and I have that look on my face a lot.  So, first, let's not judge.  Second, let's try to be more and more like the disciple who tries to find a different solution.  But third, and I bet You kind of liked this one, let's also stand up for Jesus when we have to.

KYRIE ELEISON

 Kyrie eleison down the road the I must travel.  Kyrie eleison through the darkness of the night.  Kryie eleison, were I'm will you follow?  Kyrie eleison on a highway in the night.  - Mr. Mister

It's time for a state of the relationship.  

I heard this song in McDonalds while I was at "church."  Pretty good start to where I'm at right now.  I mean, the fact that I am writing this from McDonalds is not a good start!  I should not be eating this stuff and definitely shouldn't be drinking what I'm drinking.  Lord have mercy on my eating habits (although I did do much better this week.). 

But, what about the important stuff?  People.  Let's start with You.  I think I'm getting better here.  I've done a lot more of what You would want.  Maybe not this week, but remember those two days when I was just doing what other people wanted.  And I did go to the training.  When I'm at my best (at least when I think I'm at my best), I am not rushed, I notice other people (all people), I don't worry and I sacrifice for others.  Yesterday I got rushed - and it felt HORRIBLE!  But, I rushed myself.  So stupid.  I do that a lot.  Put these stories into my head that aren't really there and don't really matter.  

That's probably where the worry has started to come in.  I worry about my body, but I guess I've kind of forgotten that You are really in charge of my body.  If this back is not healing, there must be a reason.  After the knee, I know I play a role in this, but no need for me to get down about it.  In all honesty, there are a lot bigger things in the world.

Like people!  There was a time when I would say "hello" to people I walked by and think about how I could impact everyone that came across my path in a positive way.  I may be creeping slowly back to that mindset.  Unfortunately, it's been a lot more apathy lately (and by lately I mean the last couple of years).  That's just not right, or fair, to other people or to You.  If there is any reason we are here, or at least why I am here - John 10:10.  Help everyone to have life to the full!  I think that's been the main problem - my thought process has been, "This is how I'm feeling and so I'm going to treat everyone like that."  In the past I think I would have gone in with the 10:10 mindset of, "Yeah, I'm feeling like this, but maybe I can help others not to feel like that."  I was more motivated by others (maybe too much), but what if I got to a place where I could acknowledge how I'm actually feeling and still, through that, be able to not take it out on others?  What if, even through that, I could still let You help me and let me help others?

That would probably help in my other roles as husband, father, teacher, tennis coach.  That all comes down to being frustrated that I don't do more.  Heck, I don't do anything.  I'm too busy thinking about how I'm going to sabbath.  But, my sabbath has turned into an every day thing - it was only meant to be one day!  The psychologist might say that I've spent so much mind / physical energy doing all these clubs and everything that by the time I got home, I was wiped.  And maybe that's true.  But, I don't like it and it wasn't leading to 10:10 for me.  I like when I'm doing stuff; especially for my family or planning stuff or getting stuff done.  Whether that's house stuff, car stuff, kid stuff, parenting stuff - whatever.  

I noticed yesterday that I get a lot done, but that's the problem.  My main goal has just been to get stuff done.  I haven't really worried about how it was getting done or how the people that it was affecting were being affected.  With my lesson plans this week, with tennis yesterday - it was nice to spend a little extra time and do things right.  I wasn't worried if it would take a few extra minutes - I just made sure that I did what needed to be done.

Going forward, I think that's going to be where I really need you.  I'm really going to need wisdom.  What do I do on my own vs when do I get help.  With my back, with my spiritual life, with my parenting / husbanding, with my life in the community.  As I type this, I feel so much more hope, so much more motivation, so much more peace.  Kyrie elesion down the road that I must travel.

LUKE 22:50

 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. - Luke 22:50

They ask if they should strike with their swords.  No answer.  So, one of them (probably Peter), cut off a guy's ear.  

On the positive side, at least they were taking action.  Thinking that they were helping, they made a decision and went for it.  I'm sure they thought this is what You would have wanted them to do.  

I do wonder how often we do this?  And I wonder what You think?  We ask a question, get no response and then we take matters into our own hands and do what we think is best.  Again, it may be out of good intentions.  Maybe we even think that we have to act now or we'll miss the opportunity.  But, for whatever reason, we ask and don't wait for the answer.  

Is that good initiative or lack of patience?  Knowing a little bit about You, I bet You appreciate the effort, but would rather we wait before cutting someone's ear off.

LUKE 22:49

 When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" - Luke 22:49

I get it.  Jesus had just said to bring swords from now on.  The disciples said they had two, and You said that would be enough.  But, it sounds so weird.  Should we strike with our swords?

That was never Your way.  That is the world's way.  Something bad is going to happen - use force to defeat it.  The only option is violence.  But, You gave up Your life to save us.  You said to turn the other cheek.  You said to forgive.

Of all the things I love (and hate) about following You, this may be on the top of the list.  It makes so much sense to me.  Being an example of what you want to see in the world - genius.  Finding alternate ways than destroying and killing - genius.  Having such faith that we don't have to carry out the justice we think is deserved - genius.  But, there are times when I'd just like to hurt someone, or "make them pay", or strike with my sword.

But, I never have.  OK, maybe I have mentally or with words.  Actually, originally, I was going to write that I never have because it seems weird.  But, now that I think about it, I do this way more often than I think - which is even more weird.......and sad.

LUKE 22:48

 but Jesus asked him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" - Luke 22:48

This had to be when Judas "got it."  First, You call him out by the whoever dips in the bowl comment and now You use the Son of Man instead of just saying "Me."  That was intentional, right?  You wanted to make sure he understood that this was just Jesus - some guy, Jesus - a leader, Jesus - a teacher.  You let him know, plain and simple - you are doing this to the Son of Man.

Side note: Did you know that the "Son of Man" refers to a dream that Daniel had where there was a beast that no human could contain, but later he sees into God's throe room and the beast is defeated.  But there are two seats on the throne.  See no human was able to overcome the beast until Jesus did - the Son of Man.  So now, God and humanity were back again ruling from their thrones.

In case you're not getting it.  There is a beast who tries to trick people into thinking their way is better than God's.  And no human could defeat it with human ways.  But, Jesus did not give into the temptation and was able to defeat it by giving up His life.  And that's how we defeat the beast too.  FROM GOOGLE

Other Side Note: In Jesus time, a kiss signified friendship and ACCEPTANCE!  Weird!

No more side notes, just this.  Of all the ways Jesus could have chosen to refer to himself as, He chose to use, "Son of Man."  His main role was to partner with God to bring humanity back to the Father.  I guess that's our main role too.

LUKE 22:47

 While He was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the the Twelve, was leading them.  He approached Jesus to kiss Him, - Luke 22:47

Luke is really emphasizing that this was one of Your own.  Everyone knows he was one of the twelve at this point in the story, but he points it out again.  And I almost feel like the way he words it, it's as if he is saying "this isn't really Judas any more."  To me, when he says, "the man who was called Judas" he is referring to the scripture that says Satan entered his body.  It's like he's standing up for him, kind of.  It's likes he's saying, "Judas is not Judas anymore."

So, after the Last Supper, all of the disciples follow Jesus out into the garden, and Judas just sneaks off?  How did that happen?  Did he tell them he had something more important to do?  Did he just take a different turn?  There are only twelve people - I would think someone would have noticed.  And I guess there was a good amount of time where he could have gone to the Jewish leaders and come back.

But, the sight of him leading the soldiers to You - I can't even imagine what was going through Your head?  Seems like a little anger, a little disappointment, but I guess there was also the knowledge that this had to be the way it would happen.  

And I also guess we shouldn't be that surprised when our "friends" betray us.

LUKE 22:46

 "Why are you sleeping?" He asked them.  "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." - Luke 22:46

In the disciples defense, I have, many times, fallen asleep while praying.  And they had just been getting ready for Passover and then had a big Passover meal.  And I'm still not sure they quite understood what was about to happen.  But.....

Jesus knew!  And He knew what was most important at that time.  Praying!  Not sleeping!  There are some times in life when sleep is needed, but more often than not, it seems like Jesus would always put prayer before sleep.  Especially now.

It is interesting that You tell them to pray so that they won't fall into temptation.  There are a lot of references to temptation lately.  I know in the Our Father we pray, "Lead us not into temptation" but it seems that You imply that we will be tempted.  The thing is that You can help us to not give into those temptations.