Would you have left him before he died?

"Good Friday" has always been a special day for me.  I'm not exactly why.  I have a big "birthday party" for him, along with everyone else at Christmas.  I celebrate the resurrection and victory of my Lord and King on Easter.  Friday, though...Friday just has a different feel to it.

I'm currently sitting in the cafe area of the Life Bridge building here in Valpo.  Soft instrumental worship music is playing in the background.  The worship center is set up with different prayer stations to allow people a time and place to reflect on the significance of this day.  Our God...Our Lord...Our Savior...died.  Maybe that's why I like today.  It's the one day a year that I come closest, "together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp[ing] how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ..." (Ephesians 3:18 NIV)

I also think about what I do in return.  How well am I listening?  How am I talking?  How am I living?  In other words, "How is my walk with Him?"

This year, the stories surrounding His death have me thinking quite a bit about his followers.  They all left him, but at different moments in the progression of events.

Judas left during the meal to set his plan in motion - betraying Jesus. (Matthew 26:20-25)

Peter, James, & John "left" in the garden of Gethsemane - sleeping by Jesus. (Matthew 26: 36-46)

All the disciples left when he was arrested - deserting Jesus. (Matthew 26: 51-56)

Peter left in the courtyard while the trial went on - denying Jesus. (Matthew 26:69)

The crowd left when they asked for Barabbas to be set free - condemning Jesus. (Matthew 27: 15-25)

The Roman soldiers "left" when they drove spikes through his hands and feet - crucifying Jesus. (Matthew 27:28-36)

The rebel crucified next to him "left" when he hurled insults at him - cursing Jesus. (Matthew 27:38-44)

I don't need to guess whether or not I would have stayed with him to the end.  I've already fallen short.  I don't like to think about the number of times I've fallen asleep, deserted, denied, cursed, betrayed, and condemned Jesus...but I have.  I've left him in these ways at different times and places in my life.  And when I have, I deserved death.  But instead, he died for me.  Every sin I've ever done was heaped upon him that day.  I crucified Jesus...

In the end, after he died, there was a small group of people remaining who had not left him.

Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons. As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.  (Matthew 27:55-61 NIV)

What about you?  Would you have left him before he died?