Today's Scripture:
One Of You Will Betray Me, John 13:21-32
After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me."
The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples "the one whom Jesus loved" was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?"
Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "Do quickly what you are going to do."
Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the festival;" or, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once."
Today's Thought:
Is Jesus really the Messiah? This question marked the lives of everyone Jesus interacted with, and it continues to mark lives today. The greatest decision people make is whether they decide to believe Him and how they position their hearts toward Him.
The Sanhedrin saw all the good that Jesus did. They marveled at His teaching, but they worried that Jesus' popularity and teaching would affect their position in society. They wanted to protect their authority as teachers and leaders, so the Sanhedrin tried to trap Jesus with questions and plotted to end His life. Little did they know, that was the very reason why He came! (Romans 14:9) Judas walked with Jesus for three years. Judas lived a life wasted, and his life can be a warning: you can spend a lot of time around Jesus and His people without giving your heart to Him. It's likely that Judas figured he would gain position, accolades, and recognition when the Roman government was overthrown. Imagine his disappointment to learn Jesus came to build a spiritual kingdom, one marked by sacrifice and servanthood.
Mary was a simple, Jewish woman. She was unmarried in a culture where a woman's value came from her husband's position. Yet, she had the honor of anointing Jesus' body before His death. Mary took her perfume and knelt at Jesus' feet. Mary's outward actions mirrored the inner posture of her heart. She bowed before Jesus in submission, opened her most valuable possession, and poured it on Jesus' feet.
In the days leading up to Easter, it's healthy to pause and consider who we think Jesus is. Is He a threat to our current way of life like He was to the Sanhedrin? Is He someone we've followed because we believe it will bring prestige as Judas did? Or, is Jesus our Lord? Would we sacrifice everything in response to His love like Mary?
Today's Reflection:
How have you responded to who Jesus says He is? Have you ever responded to Him?
Are you following Jesus to get something from Him?
When is the last time you worshipped Jesus outside of a Sunday? Take a few minutes today to respond to Jesus with reverence and awe
At Anchor Church, we exist to love and lead one another with the hope of Jesus. We hope this devotional is an encouragement and an inspiration.
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