“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.” Zechariah 13:7

Twelve

The number of men who followed Jesus throughout his ministry.

Eleven

The men who remained as Christ-followers and were with him the night He was captured after Judas betrayed him with a kiss.

Three

The number of times that Peter, the rock upon whom Jesus would build his church, denied Christ.

One

The disciple whom Jesus loved – the only one mentioned at the foot of the cross.

Where did the rest of the men go?

Disappearing Disciples

As I ponder the events of Good Friday, I think about the disappearing disciples. Their shepherd seemed to be in trouble, so the sheep took off.

Before He was captured and killed, Jesus quoted the prophecy from Zechariah to his disciples, saying that his sheep would be scattered at the crucifixion. His words to them are recorded three times in the gospels (Matthew 26:31, Mark 14:27, John 16:31–33). He told them He would be alone except for the presence of his Father. The only mention of any other men Jesus knew tells us they were far off in the distance when Christ was on the cross (Luke 23:49). He was shunned and abandoned.

Why did most of them disappear?

Was it fear?

Were they in hiding?

I have to examine my own heart in light of their actions because we aren’t told much about their motives.

How are we like them?

Do we keep our distance when it gets hard to follow Christ?

Do we intentionally move out of his shadow?

Most importantly, how can we develop an anchored faith that doesn’t fade when challenges come – and help other men develop that faith, too?

We must follow the text in search of the answers.

He Overcame the World!

Jesus Christ rose again victoriously to life! He performed miracles and visited his disciples many times. He commanded them to go into the world with the gospel and make other disciples. He promised the Holy Spirit would come, a helper who would empower them to fulfill his mission. John tells us He did so many things that if every one of them were written, the world would not contain the books. Afterward, He ascended to heaven.

In the Book of Acts, we see those eleven original men gathered once more, devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, Jesus’ mother, and his brothers, and they choose another apostle to replace Judas Iscariot.

I see three crucial things in this example: Prayer, Fellowship, and Action.

They devoted themselves wholeheartedly to communing with the Father in prayer. They did it with other believers surrounding them, strengthening one another in the Lord, and they took appropriate action to continue the work Jesus had charged them to do. God’s Kingdom was multiplied!

Later in the book, we see more scattering, but it’s not out of fear or shame.

Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Acts 8:4

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. Acts 11:19

These followers of Christ had good reason to fear. They were persecuted for their faith. They had seen Stephen stoned to death by the religious leaders of the day, yet they scattered to spread the word. They disregarded their own lives to preach the gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit. We know from history that many were tortured and lost their lives for it.

If you have believed in Jesus Christ, you also have the power of the Holy Spirit. You also have communion with the Father in prayer. You also have access to a body of other believers.

Men, where will you scatter today? Will you disappear, or will you be found faithful and ready to serve the Lord, to be refined? Choose whom you will serve this day. Take heart—He has overcome the world!

Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:31–33