Posted in Lent devotions

The naked guy

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Friday, March 12, 2021.

And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked. (Mark 14:51-52)

I have always loved this unusual scene from the passion. It seems like a totally random cameo in the gospel of Mark. I know who streaked across the stage at my high school’s spring chorus concert, but we don’t know anything about this young man. Everyone else had a reason to be at Gethsemane that night. Everyone but this guy.

Unless, it was Mark.

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Run!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Thursday, March 11, 2021.

And they all left him and fled. (Mark 14:50)

Gunshots. Screaming. Crowds running for the exits.
Someone yells, “Fire!” Smoke begins filling the room. Everyone starts pushing their way towards the door.
A tornado siren pierces the night. A family quickly heads down the stairs into the basement.

When the disciples realize Jesus is not going to fight the crowd wielding swords and clubs and he’s not going to run away, they quickly flee the scene. Jesus said this moment would come. The scriptures painted a picture of this scene. Just like that, they were gone. In an instant, Jesus is no longer with his friends, but is in the hands of his enemies.

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Every day at the temple

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Wednesday, March 10, 2021. Photo by SPOTSOFLIGHT on Pixabay.com.

And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” (Mark 14:48-49)

Since the temple wasn’t a formal place of teaching like the synagogue, I think we would call what Jesus was doing at the temple “street preaching.” People gathered around Jesus to hear him teach about the widow giving more than all the others, his sheep who know his voice, the greatest commandment and the resurrection. He also instructed them to watch out for the teachings of the scribes, who were in it for themselves.

Why didn’t the chief priests and scribes and elders just grab Jesus at the temple? Sometimes it was the crowds. Jesus was just too popular. Sometimes it was Jesus’ teaching. Some who were supposed to arrest him were instead fascinated by his words. It might have been fear. Jesus had quite a temper when he cleared all the animals and moneychangers from the temple.

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Posted in Lent devotions

Fighting for Jesus

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Tuesday, March 9, 2021.

But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. (Mark 14:47)

Judas has led the mob, armed with swords and clubs, to Gethsemane, where Jesus has been praying. He kisses Jesus and they seize him. Suddenly, things get rough. Someone starts swinging a sword, a voice cries out in pain, blood spurts, an ear goes flying, and we have the first casualty of the passion.

Mark’s description is brief and to the point, as it usually is. Other gospels fill in the details. But I’ve still got a lot of questions. First of all, some of the disciples were “carrying?” When Jesus had sent out his disciples to do ministry, he told them not to take food, luggage, money, not even extra clothing. But he never mentioned weapons, so I guess they though that was OK.

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Posted in Lent devotions

Hold on!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Monday, March 8, 2021. Photo by ‏🌸🙌 في عین الله on Unsplash.

And they laid hands on [Jesus] and seized him. (Mark 14:46)

So many have been waiting to get their hands on Jesus.

Mary waited nine months to hold her son in her arms. Who knows how long Simeon waited to see the Christ? When Jesus was so busy he didn’t even have time to eat, his own family wanted to seize him and take him home, thinking he was out of his mind (Mark 3:21). A woman who had been bleeding for years crawled through a crowd just to touch the hem of his garment to be healed. Somehow, Joseph and Nicodemus got their hands on Jesus’ corpse after his death, so they could place it in a tomb. Thomas wanted to get his hands on Jesus, so he personally could be sure that Jesus had risen from the dead.

But now there’s this group, a mob with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Led to Gethsemane by Judas the betrayer, they are finally able to lay their hands on Jesus. At last, they have him!

Just think how many people stand in line for hours to shake hands with an author, a celebrity or a favorite sports star. It’s a moment you’ll never forget. You might even get a picture with that person, too. You’ll show it to your friends and post it on social media, too.

Are there still people waiting to get their hands on Jesus? There are those who want his healing. There are others who want some evidence that he is real. A selfie with Jesus would go viral!

How ironic. One of the reasons Jesus became flesh and blood so he could get his hands on us. Jesus’ hands touched a leper and healed him. Jesus touched the eyes of the blind so they could see. Jesus’ hands washed the feet of the disciples to teach them what it meant to love each other. Jesus held children and blessed them. He laid his hand on a dead girl and she came back to life. When Peter sank and cried out for help, Jesus grabbed his hand. When a well-meaning disciple cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant, Jesus reached out his hand and healed him. And Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

I feel pretty good about the fact the Jesus is willing to do so much to get his hands on me. I don’t have to work so hard to get my hands on him!

Heavenly Father, thank you for your son Jesus, who came to get a hold of my life and never let go! Amen.

Posted in Lent devotions

A kiss is just a kiss

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Sunday, March 7, 2021. Photo by Derek Thomson on Unsplash

Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. (Mark 14:44-45)

It’s night. It’s dark. The betrayer Judas has led a crowd armed with swords and clubs to a place where he knows Jesus will be with his disciples. Without a photo, a sketch or a wanted poster, how will they know which one to apprehend? Which of these Jewish men is Jesus?

Judas has it all worked out. “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and take him away. ” An innocent greeting would now deliver Jesus into the hands of his enemies.

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Swords and clubs

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Saturday, March 6, 2021.

And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. (Mark 14:43)

What a frightening moment! Jesus disrupts the disciples sleep as an armed mob approaches, led by Judas “the betrayer.” Jesus knows why they are there. The disciples will soon find out. They have come to arrest Jesus. It’s time to bring his ministry to an end.

They come in hot. They must have expected Jesus and the disciples to put up a fight. They are prepared with both numbers and weapons to apprehend the Messiah. Jesus had spoken about this moment. He said that ever since John the Baptist showed up, “the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12).

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It’s time

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Friday, March 5, 2021. Photo by Amanda Jones on Unsplash.

And [Jesus] came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (Mark 14:41-42)

You haven’t eaten since midnight. You woke before your alarm, got dressed and headed to the hospital. The nice person at the desk got you checked in and got your copay. The pastor stopped by to pray with you. You’re just waiting when you hear your name being called. It’s time. It’s your turn. Soon your procedure will begin.

The meal is finished, the waiting is over, the prayers have all been spoken, and now “the hour has come.” It is time. Time for Jesus to be apprehended by those who have wanted to arrest him for a long time. Time for Jesus to be handed over to those who want no less than his execution. It’s time for Jesus to find out what pain, suffering and death are really all about.

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Fast asleep

Posted on by William Douthwaite

“Scenes from the passion” Lent devotion for Thursday, March 4, 2021. Photo by The Creative Exchange on Unsplash.

And again [Jesus]  came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. (Mark 14:40-41)

Three times, Jesus prays. Three times, he finds his disciples sleeping. They are supposed to be keeping watch. They are supposed to be praying, too (v38). But it’s late. It’s been a long day. They were drinking at the Passover. They just couldn’t keep their eyes open.

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