Jesus and his disciples were in Jerusalem for a very special time the Passover celebration
this Passover though was the most special Passover because God was about to rescue his people again
this time he would free people from the power of sin and he had sent his own son to do the job
you might have already heard the story of the last supper
The last supper is the final meal that Jesus had with his disciples
when he told them that soon he would be leaving to return to his father in heaven
at the last supper, he broke bread and shared it with the disciples saying
this is my body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me
and he poured wine for them to drink telling them this is my blood
which confirms the special relationship between God and his people it is poured out as a sacrifice
the meal was a happy occasion because they were all together but a sad one too
they knew that the elders of different faiths were looking for Jesus
because they wanted to throw him in prison or worse
Jesus told the disciples that the elders and their soldiers were getting closer to finding him
as well as showing them how to eat the lord's supper with the bread as his body and the wine as his blood
Jesus foretold that the faith of his disciples would soon be tested
all of you will desert me for the scriptures say God will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered
but after I am raised from the dead I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there
the disciples did not believe Jesus, they had seen Jesus perform miracles
they believed in him and loved him as the son of god they would never betray him
one of the disciples peter who had said to Jesus
even if everyone else deserts you I never will
but Jesus knew that Peter would face a special test and so he told peter I tell you the truth peter
this very night before the rooster crows twice you will deny three times that you even know me
Peter was horrified he would never deny that he knew Jesus he was proud to be a disciple
so Peter said with passion and sureness in his voice
no, even if I have to die with you I will never deny you
Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death
all of the other disciples nodded in agreement with peter
they believed they would never deny that Jesus was their lord the son of god
and they were followers of his teachings
after their supper
Jesus led three of his disciples to a beautiful olive grove called the Garden of Gethsemane
the stars twinkled above them and the moonlit their pathway
the three disciples he had chosen to come with him were peter john and James
they walked into the olive grove where the twisted gray tree trunks surrounded them
and the cool green leaves rustled gently in the warm breeze
the disciples and Jesus had come to Gethsemane many times before to pray so they knew the garden well
as they walked Jesus began to look troubled and sad he said to peter john and James
my soul is overwhelmed with sorrow stay here and keep watch with me
the three disciples felt tired and weary after their meal and their walk to the garden
but they were happy to be with Jesus and were keen to obey his wishes
they assured Jesus that they would stay awake and pray, watching out for anyone walking into the garden
Jesus walked a little way away from the three disciples and knelt to pray to god his father
father! if you are willing, remove this suffering from me
nevertheless not my will but yours be done
he prayed for a bit longer thanking God for his love
he walked back to where his three disciples had been keeping watch
as he asked them to and found them all asleep
he was disappointed
he woke them and said
why are you sleeping rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation
it was then that Jesus saw another of his disciple's judas coming into the garden of Gethsemane
an army of men followed judas
the army has been sent by the local leaders and governors who didn't believe that Jesus was the son of god
and wanted to punish him for his preaching
when Jesus saw them coming he said to peter John and James
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
peter john and James were astonished to see judas leading the governor's army right to Jesus
Judas had betrayed Jesus
the one I kiss is the man you seek, arrest him!
Jesus did not run or hide from the men who had come to arrest him he simply said to judas
do what you came for friend
and as judas stepped forward and kissed Jesus on the cheek
Peter drew a sword from his belt
and attacked one of the soldiers cutting his ear off
Jesus held up his hand and said
put your sword back in its place for all who draw the sword will die by the sword
Peter understood that this was all part of Jesus's plan
although he was sad and scared for Jesus he put his sword back into his belt
Jesus stepped forward and healed the soldier's ear
but even this wasn't enough to soften the hearts and open the faith of the soldiers
they seized Jesus and dragged him from the garden of Gethsemane while peter john and James fled
Jesus had been arrested by local governors and leaders and he was taken to the house of a Jewish high priest
inside the house, Jesus was questioned about his preaching his parables and why he said he was the son of god
outside peter had not fled after all
instead, he had carefully followed the soldiers and Jesus at a safe distance
trying to see where they were taking him
Peter was scared that if the soldiers saw he had followed Jesus he would be arrested and questioned too
a crowd of soldiers and servants from the Jewish high priest's house had gathered outside around a fire
peter carefully and quietly slipped into the crowd sitting by the fire to warm himself in the cold night air
in the light of the fire a servant girl looked at him suspiciously
this man was also with Jesus
the servant girl pointed at peter and the crowd turned a look
but peter scared of the soldiers shook his head and said no I do not know him
a second servant girl peered at peter across the fire
this fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth
I don't know what you're talking about
the crowd murmured and looked at each other with narrowed eyes, they were still suspicious
a man shouted out to peter
you must be one of them because you're a Galilean
and peter swore for a third time that he did not know Jesus
a curse on me if I'm lying
I don't know this man you're talking about
as the last word left peter's lips he heard a rooster crow twice
he remembered what Jesus had said to him the night before
that peter would betray Jesus this very night before the rooster crows twice
as the sun came up peter wept and wept
Peter had done just as Jesus had predicted peter had let Jesus and god down