O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer)

Live these Words: Stay

Stay here and watch with me. Matthew 26:38

Matthew 26:17ff The Last Supper

This was a terrible dinner table conversation!

20–25 When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. … Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.”

Conversation does not improve after dinnerat the Mount of Olives.

34-5 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all become deserters because of me this night … Peter said to him, “Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.” Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And so said all the disciples.

Jesus is certain of coming betrayal and desertion.

The disciples are distressed, curious and defensive.

Judas departs. • Matthew, Mark, Luke don’t say when. • John says he leaves after receiving the bread from Jesus.

This is a fight or flight situation by anyone’s standards, but watch what Jesus does instead.

Matthew 26:36-40, 45-46

36-8 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” …

45 -6 … He returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

1. Jesus doesn’t fight with Judas.

• Don’t go. Don’t do it!• What were you thinking????• Here’s why you are wrong.• Here’s how you should act instead.

2. Jesus doesn’t send the disciples to fight with Judas.

• Tackle him! Stop that man!• Go find him before it is too late.

3. Jesus doesn’t flee from Judas, or send the disciples running out the door either.

• Ok, where can we go that Judas doesn’t know about?

4. Jesus doesn’t fight the Serious Religious.

• He does not hire a lawyer and confront them. Surely there was an all night legal aid service in Jerusalem.

• He does not form a debate team, and send relays of disciples to convince, cajole, and convert the Pharisees.

5. Jesus doesn’t flee from the Serious Religious, and he doesn’t allow his disciples to fight or flee either.

• “Run, Forrest, Run!”

He chooses such curious actions instead, none of which are fight or flight.

He finishes dinner.He invites the disciples to come with him to the garden, and encourages them to stay together.“Stay and watch with me.”Pray. Pray again. Pray again again.Rise. Go.

Most importantly, Jesus was choosing the cross here, giving up his right to fight or flee.

Fundamentally, that is all we need to know.

But is it possible he was also showing the disciples a way forward, so they might survive with enough courage to lead the church?

Fight or flight are not your only options.Stay.Stay together.Watch.Pray. Pray again. Pray again again.Rise, and go towards the challenge.