Day of the Lamb: It’s Me!

We begin our series, the Day of the Lamb, this morning at St. Mark.  We’re using the book of Mark as a source for this series along with Adam Hamilton’s “24 Hours that Changed the World.”

Today’s lesson began in Mark 14:12-25 as Jesus sends two disciples ahead to Jerusalem. Their task is to find a man carrying water and follow him to a house. There, those disciples (identified elsewhere as Peter and John) are to prepare the Passover Seder that Jesus and his disciples will take part in that night.

During this meal in the Upper Room, Jesus is surrounded by the 12 who have been the closest to him over the past three years.  They’ve watched Jesus in his ministry, they’ve learned at the foot of the master teacher and they’ve had the chance to put what they’ve learned into practice.  It hasn’t been an easy journey for the disciples and it never is when we’re asked to give up everything that we have and do and follow after Jesus.

But sitting around this table, on this night, in the middle of the meal that celebrates the Israelites escape from Egypt, Jesus drops a bomb.  It’s something that would stun and hurt.  It’s something that would leave someone speechless — especially when it was someone you cared about.

Jesus said that someone among this group would betray him.  Quickly the disciples start to turn to one another and make the statement of “He’s not talking about me.”

Yet, that night sitting at the table, we find:

• Judas.  The one who is often held up as the example of ultimate betrayal.
• Peter.  The “rock” who denies Jesus three times on the night of the arrest and trial.
• The other disciples. Largely, they run from the scene and go into hiding when Jesus needs them the most.

Sitting that night at the first Communion was a group of 12 men who would all betray Jesus.  Every last one of them, betrayers.

And in that moment, Jesus says that they are no longer called servants. They are called friends.

A roomful of betrayers.  Yet, all are called friends of Jesus.

Thank you God, for grace and mercy and the chance to be called a friend!