Like Frightened Sheep

“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.”

Matthew 26:31

When we were in Scotland... I know, you're really getting tired of hearing about it. But bear with me (at least) one more time.

When we were in Scotland, we came across a flock of sheep grazing in a pasture near a road. While we were walking by, something frightened the sheep, and they began to run in different directions. We didn't see anything in particular that looked dangerous, but something scared the sheep.

It doesn't take much to scare sheep, it turns out. Their main defense is to run. I've been told that a mother sheep will even run away and leave her lambs behind. Now, I haven't looked that up on the internet, so I can't verify its truth.

Anyway, sheep get scared easily. And when they get scared, they run.

Have you ever noticed that when the Bible draws comparisons and uses sheep and shepherds, somehow we are always the sheep? Not very flattering. But I digress.

I mention the sheep story because it has relevance for us today. Today, you see, is Thursday.

Maundy Thursday.

At any other time, Thursday is simply the day before Friday.

But not this Thursday. Not for Jesus, or us.

Jesus was gathered with his disciples in an upstairs room somewhere near Jerusalem. His disciples thought that they were gathering for the Passover meal. But Jesus changed the meaning of the meal, from the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, to the deliverance of God's people from their (our) sin.

“This is my body, given for you,” said Jesus. “Take, eat. Do this in remembrance of me.”

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Drink from it, all of you.”

I'm sure the disciples were a little confused. Jesus had made reference in times past to his impending conflict with the authorities and his death. But Jesus had entered Jerusalem on Sunday with such fanfare—surely those conflict-and-death plans had now changed to something more glorious?

No, there has been no change of plans. Everything that Jesus has said must still take place.

You know how the night ends. It gets real ugly, real fast.

Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples. The authorities arrested him with a show of force, and Jesus was taken away for a trial. He would be beaten, flogged, scorned and ridiculed.

Then he would be crucified.

In the meantime, where were his other disciples in all of this? They fell asleep while he prayed for another way. They ran away at the first sign of force from the authorities. Peter, one of Jesus' best friends, denied knowing Jesus not once, but three times.

In his time of greatest need, Jesus' closest companions abandoned him. Jesus knew this was going to happen. He even told them it would happen: “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'”

When I go to church for our Maundy Thursday service, I'm going to think about what the disciples did. Not in a way that condemns them or points an accusing finger at them. No, I'm going to think about how I do the same thing.

How many ways do I turn my back on Jesus? How often do I choose not to be his friend in front of others?

You see, I think I'm also one of the sheep who scatters when the shepherd is struck. I suspect that you are, too.

I'm not saying this to make you feel bad about yourself. Actually, maybe I am. Because in our weakness we deny our Lord and turn our back on him. And we should feel bad about that.

But I also know this: That Jesus loves us in our weakness. Even when we turn away from him, he will not turn away from us. Not ever. In fact, our weakness is the reason he came in the first place. He went to the cross to save us from our weakness. To save us from ourselves.

I like to think that there is more to the verse about the sheep scattering. I like to think that when the sheep scatter, the shepherd will go get them and bring them back to the fold.

Because that's who the shepherd is.

That's who Jesus is. Thanks be to God.