With Friends Like These . . .

P eter wiped drool from his sleeve, stretched and glared at his Friend. Peter tried ignoring Him and turned over, but that didn’t work. His friend just wouldn’t leave him alone.

“Why you sleep’, man?” This time Peter played dead and waited. In a minute He was gone again until he felt another nudge – harder this time.

Again? “What?” Peter snapped. “Can’t a man have a moment’s peace around here?

“Man I need you. I’ve gotta do this. Can’t you stay awake for a few minutes, man?” Jesus sounded disappointed, so Peter sat up. Grouchy, he muttered something about coffee. Everyone knew when it came to sleep, he needed his. He rolled his eyes, then focused to where Jesus was praying. Now what was so important at this time of night anyway? He scratched his head. A few minutes later, Peter was snoring.

Was that another nudge? A few days earlier, we see the silhouette of a man as he walks down an empty, cobblestone street in the late evening. It is obvious the man is distinguished—note his dress and poise. Streets are empty and it’s late, sunset perhaps. He walks fast, glancing furtively left and right. Finally, he disappears into the temple. To pray? No. To make a deal.

Several priests are at a conference table talking, joking, eating. Judas enters. “Judas, come in!” One of the high priests with a playful smile on his lips says, “What can we do for you, Brother?”

Judas hesitates noting the sarcasm. “I need to make a trade!” he snaps. “For?,” a man seated at the head of the table seems interested. “For what?,” the guy blurts out. All attention turns to Judas. After what seems like forever, Judas timidly responds, “Jesus!”

Fast forward to the loft of a local home. Jesus is surrounded by His friends– twelve of them. You know the names. They eat, have bread and wine, but before that, they do the cultural stuff—foot washing. Jesus, towel in hand brings a pan to Peter, who doesn’t want it. Jesus pressures him and washes Peter’s feet anyway, and water trickles down Peter’s feet. Judas watching and the expression on his face could be anger, or guilt, already knowing he had made a deal that was about to go down. Why were Peter’s feet being washed first?

It’s Passover, family time, a special time for Jewish families. Jesus had decided to have a Passover supper with just His guys. Right time, right place. Everyone’s bonding, eating together. Then, Jesus drops it: “One of you guys is going to let me down!”

Jaws drop, eyebrows raise as everyone’s eyes and fingers scan the room. But according to the Apostles, it was loud-mouthed Peter, who just had to ask the question.

Mic on: “You’re talking about me, right?” Me? They will”, he says pointing. “Not me. I would never betray you! Who do you think I am?”

Shake your head and smile, because in a few hours, he does just that– not once, but three times. On the other hand, there’s Judas sitting, eating, and saying little. He can’t, because he knows Jesus knows. Jesus always knows. Just a couple of days ago he made a deal with the priests. He was smart, see: his friend for half a year’s salary. Well, that didn’t sound right, but yes, he sold his friend out. So yes, he probably squirms a little (actually a lot) when Jesus makes His remarks. Finally, not able to take the guilt anymore, he says: “Hey guys, I cant’ stay; gotta go!” His exit is quick, leaving the rest of the disciples to wander had just happened.

Hours later in the wee hours of the morning Peter and Judas—these friends of Jesus—faceoff in a charming, little garden nearby. Jesus is in His usual spot. He likes to pray there because there in solitude He can finally talk to His Father, without all the noise of the people, Pharisees, or disciples. It’s a perfect retreat for a busy time, and as mentioned in the Desire of Ages, the Passover always had wall-to-wall people. It was spring and the Garden of Gethsemane was blooming and fragrant. Most of all, it was midnight and quiet. No one is there but them, and so as Jesus meditates, the plot thickened.

Two characters, one night of joy, pain, anticipation, conflict, denial, and guilt.

This is the story of Jesus and his friends in the garden. However, focus in on a few of His “true-blue” friends. Peter, James, and John are supposed to stand by Him, but they just sleep by him. Jesus has one desperate need—a quiet moment alone to pray. But like us, He needed the support of His people. This time is crucial. It is time to agonize, to plead: “God, please, I don’t want to do this, but if you really want this, then . . .” He checks on his buddies, begs them to stay awake, but they are asleep. One, Two, Three times. Asleep every time.

Finally, for the last time, Jesus states that poignant line: “It’s time!” This loaded statement, a nagging reality that they blew their last chance to stand by Jesus, the ultimate fail. For our star guys, Peter and Judas, it will be a long night to make a complete fool of their friendship with Jesus, and ultimately themselves.

So many comparisons between these two leading men:

Both were quick thinkers: Judas makes the deal to betray Jesus and give a secret signal so as not to give himself away. At Jesus’ arrest Peter chops off a guy’s ear in a impulsive show of support.

Both were disloyal: Judas’ trade with the priests, and the signal kiss to Jesus both speak of bad intentions. Peter’s not much better, with his colorful display of expletives to prove he wasn’t one of the disciples.

Both showed remorse: Judas couldn’t deal with the fact that his kiss led to Jesus’ death, so he returned the cash. He eventually committed suicide after he realized it was a done deal. Peter fell apart when Jesus looked at him after he had denied Him for the third time. He had no peace until he saw Jesus again.

Yet, they were from vastly different backgrounds: Judas seemed to be white-collar, educated, reserved, and a calculating accountant; Peter, was a streetwise fisherman, brash, foul, impulsive, excitable, warm, expressive.

The paradox: Jesus was rabbi, but the lesson was taught by these two guys; not by priests, the mob, or even the rest of the disciples. Two men, two very different encounters with Jesus. One driven to suicide. The other to Martyrdom. Both touched by Jesus. Like Judas and Peter, Jesus will come to you. But at the end of the show, lights off. It will be your choice, your story.

HILARY CAMPBELL, writes from Beltsville, Maryland.

ELLEN G. WHITE (1827-1915), the most translated female author in history and recently named one of the “100 Most Significant Americans of All Time” by the Smithsonian Institution in 2014, was a co-founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

*You can read The Desire of Ages in its entirety online at www.whiteestate.org/onlinebooks.

With Me or Against Me?

How blind is love? Is it blind at all? What about its other senses? If God is love and Jesus is God, what was Jesus looking at as He reclined at the table with His disciples, at what has come to be called the last supper? Brothers looking for upward mobility and tension that could be cut with a butter knife was the atmosphere with which we find Jesus before He takes the walk that would secure our journey in this life. Join us as we explore how the Lover of our souls dealt with those who were both with Him and against Him.

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Rashad Burden is the pastor of the Shiloh Seventh-day
Adventist Church in Ozark, Alabama. He also pastors the Mt. Olive Seventh-day Adventist Church in Dothan, Alabama.