The ups and downs of Discipleship

 Read Mark 14.

No one lives life on a straight plane and certainly not on a constant upward slope of spiritual growth.  In the Christian life, we all experience highs and lows, good days and other times, successes and failures.  It was no different with the original followers whom Jesus selected.

This chapter demonstrates the humanity of the disciples in its rawest form.
1. Obedience.
High.  Jesus told them what to do.  They believed Him and did it.  Simple.

2. Commitment
High.  When Jesus prepared them again as to the trouble ahead, He mentioned that they would all scatter and deny they knew Him.  In verse 31, Peter's statement is a noble one and all the rest joined in a promise of loyalty to the death.

3. Praying.
Low.  In both His humanity and His deity, Jesus was feeling the extreme stress of becoming sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Jesus asked for the human support of His friends and the spiritual support of watchfulness and prayer during this spiritual battle.  But in verses 37-38, the disciples were asleep on the job.

4. Desertion.
Low.  "And they all left him and fled." (v.50).  This was not their finest hour.  One young follower was so scared that he ran away naked (v.51-52).  Most believe this youngster to be Mark himself.

5. Repentance.
Getting up.  The closing verses of chapter 14 recounts Peter's denials, just as Jesus had predicted.  We need to keep in mind that none of the disciples stood up for Jesus during His trials.  When the reality hit of what he had done, Peter's heart was broken and he wept bitterly for his disloyalty to Christ.  "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret." (2 Corinthians 7:10)

There is no discipleship without personal discipline.

Every day, the Apostle Paul fought to spiritually discipline himself.    "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand....Wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord."  (Romans 7:21-25)

When we are up, His grace can sustain us.  When we are down, His grace and forgiveness are waiting to lift us back up.