Articles
Following at Arm's Length
Reading: Luke 22:35-71
Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane while praying to His Father. This wasn’t what the disciples were expecting when they came into Jerusalem earlier that week. Judas went so far as to betray Jesus to his enemies (vv. 47-48), but the rest of the apostles also struggled in their walk at this dark hour. When Jesus told them to pray, even as he himself was praying in agony, these men fell asleep (40-46). Upon his arrest, most of them fled. Peter did follow Jesus, but only “at a distance” (54). This isn’t just a physical description, but a spiritual one: when addressed as belonging with Jesus, Peter denied it three times.
It isn’t easy sharing in another person’s troubles. No, it’s much easier to hold Jesus at arm’s length: following closely enough to reap some benefit, but not so close as to suffer reproach or any sort of pain. Christians, maybe you have done this very thing at some point in your walk with the Lord. Like the apostles that night, self-preservation of our natural lives holds a powerful sway over our decision-making. But when saving our physical skin or social status trumps preserving our soul’s connection to our Maker, the results speak for themselves. Just a look from Jesus in that moment was enough to send Peter into bitter weeping (vv. 61-62).
Following Jesus includes sharing in both his suffering and his glory (Romans 8:16-17). When living for Jesus takes you to dark, hard places, just remember that Jesus submitted himself to the “power of darkness” (53) for you. We can share in his suffering when we begin to comprehend that the Son of God shared in our suffering first.
