From Dispirited Followers to Believers Unto Death

by Chuck Ness

Almost 2000 years ago, there were eleven men who had abandoned their leader in his time of need. Twelve men, if you count the one who betrayed him with a kiss for 30 pieces of silver. The rest scattered as HE was arrested, scourged and then lifted like a snake in the desert. For three years these men clung to their leader, absorbing HIS every Word as HE traveled around teaching and performing miracles. They watched as HE healed paraplegics, cured those with leprosy, gave sight to the blind, and untied the tongues of the mute. They even witnessed HIM bringing back to life a friend who's body was so dead it smelled of rotting flesh.

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
John 11:38-39

It must be stated that the followers would have known about the three times in Israel's past when a Prophet raised someone who was dead back to life. Yet in all of three cases the time of death was within a 24 hour period. The first time was when the prophet Elijah brought a widow's son back to life. (1 Kings 16:17-24). The second time was when his disciple, Elisha, raised the Shunammite woman's son from the dead. (2 Kings 4:18-37). The last time was the day a dead man's body was tossed into Elijah's tomb. The very moment the man's body touched Elisha's bones he came back to life. (2 kings 13:20-21)

So when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after he had been in the tomb for four days, they should have known HE could bring himself back to life. Yet they did not understand the lesson given to them in the sign of the prophet Jonah

"For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Matthew 12:40

Paul tells us that we do not war against flesh and blood, but rather against spiritual wickedness, and thus the reason we should always start our day by putting on the full armor of GOD.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Ephesians 6:10-13

So we are at war, but while our battle is a spiritual one, it can lead to some physical dangers. In the case of Jesus, the spiritual battle led to HIS physical death. When we are facing a battle, we must always be ready to fight. Yet, the followers of Jesus are not alone in their moment of weakness, because even in physical wars between nations of the World, men have abandoned their comrades, deserting them in their hour of need. So it's not a unique thing to read about the disciples abandoning their leader in HIS time of need.

However, these men who followed Him were supposed to be different. They were chosen by the expert. Just as a highly trained special forces commander would chose those who would be trained for the most difficult of tasks. Chosen for missions where death was the most likely scenario, if, anything went wrong. These men pledged their allegiance to Jesus, one of them even promised to lay down his own life for him, only to be told that he would deny His Lord three times before the rooster crows,

"Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.”
John 13:36-38

Then something did go wrong, or so HIS followers thought. You see, if they had truly listened to His teachings they would know that everything was going as it was planned from the very beginning of time. Five times Jesus either told them outright, or alluded to his inevitable death. [Matthew 16:21-23, Mark 9:30-32, Luke 18:31-34, John 12:7-8, Matthew 26:31] Yet within a few hours of the last warning they would all scurry away like cockroaches when the lights are turned on.

"Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
“I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered”
Matthew 26:31

It's difficult to predict how one will respond when the chips are down, but after three years of witnessing miracles few men in history have ever before seen, you would think they would be the last ones to desert their leader in His time of need. It was assuredly a time when their faith in Him was tested, and they failed Him. Or maybe they abandoned HIM because their own leader Himself seemed so willing to surrender to the inevitable.

When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.
Luke 22:49-5

Later we will learn they succumbed to the idea they were mistaken about Him being the promised Redeemer. After all, most Jews were under the impression that when the Messiah arrived that HE would raise up an army to take on Rome and defeat the enemy as King David did. Instead, they were dispirited and afraid that they too would be arrested, scourged and crucified as heretics like HE was. We even learn from a conversation a couple of HIS followers had, with a Stranger they did not recognise as Jesus, that they lost their faith in HIM. They had resigned themselves to the understanding that HE wasn't who they thought.

"Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days? “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.”
Luke 24:18-21

Following the death of Jesus, His followers were lost sheep without a shepherd. Yet something had to turn this band of dispirited followers into believers unto death. The fact remains, the only thing that changed, was the realization that Jesus had risen from the dead. As I stated, they totally missed the lesson Jesus gave them about Jonah, otherwise they would not be so dispirited. For surely, if the Gospel taught to them by Jesus was based only upon His teachings, the miracles He performed, and His death on the cross, then the Gospel was a lie. For as Paul told the Corinthians,

"For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”
1 Corinthians 15:16-19

It's human nature to follow a courageous man who leads by example, because most men are not fighters on their own, they are followers. Men need someone to follow, someone to embolden them, someone to give them a reason to believe that this movement is different. We see it in sports, politics, war, and yes even in religion. History is replete with the times a movement faltered when the leader went down. Even the great Jewish teacher Gamaliel, whom Paul of Tarsus was trained under, stated as much to the Council when Peter and the apostles were arrested and brought before them.

"After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”
Acts 5:37-39

In His ministry, the disciples witnessed first hand how Jesus confronted with wisdom and truth, those who would do HIM harm. They saw Him speak like no other. One who spoke with authority, and lived by the standards He set forth. It took false accusations and a violation of Religious laws to persecute and crucify Him, and while they thought they dispelled the idea that Jesus was some sort of a Messiah, something turned this band of dispirited followers into believers unto death. That something was the proof of His resurrection, which sealed the deal for His disciples.

Never again would they cower in fear, never again would they desert the One who died for their sins, and never again would they question His deity. In time they would all be persecuted to some degree, and other than John they would all die a martyrs death. They now understood in full the teachings of Jesus, and with that conviction they would go forward and spread the Gospel to all nations as they truly learned how to sacrifice their all for the ONE who sacrificed it all for them. Knowing that Jesus is with them, and that one day they would again be with Him, even unto the end of the age.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen