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Scripture for the day: John 13:21-25 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
Thought for the day: There were many disciples. Out of those who followed Him along the highways and byways of Judea, Jesus separated out 12 and called them apostles. 11 were from the south of the country; one was from the north. All twelve spent nearly every minute with the Master for the next three years. They were there, standing in awe as He turned large pitchers of water into wine. They rejoiced, every one of them, when they saw a lame man suddenly stand on his feet; they laughed and leapt and praised God with the man as he danced on his newly strengthened limbs. As if nothing greater could happen, they were in the very next room when Jesus spoke the name of a little girl, the daughter of Jairus, and bid her spirit enter again her dead body. Perhaps they hugged the entire family before moving on to what must surely be another great miracle.
The disciple whom Jesus loved sat with the others as Jesus preached to the multitudes and taught the 12 as they made their way from village to village. He, along with the other 11, was commissioned by Jesus Himself to preach, teach and heal in His name. He, along with the others came back rejoicing, almost beside himself with the realization that the power of Jesus to affect miracles and change lives had been given to him. He had handed out bread and fish with the others on that hillside outside Jerusalem. Later he’d watched as Peter stepped bravely out of the boat and walked toward Jesus on the water.
The disciple whom Jesus loved knew as much about Jesus as anyone alive. He was one of the 12, the chosen, the special friends. Then came the Passover when he, along with the others, listened and participated as the ritual was recounted once more. He was reminded once again of all God had done for His people; the deliverance that had come to them through Moses. He thought again of the plagues God sent, the death of the first-born and the very first Passover; the battles fought and won by the mercy and grace of God.
The disciple whom Jesus loved knew as well as any of them of God’s great love for him. And knowing, he still betrayed the Messiah with a kiss. We tend to think first of John when we speak of the disciple whom Jesus loved, but He had no less love for Judas, the one who was most responsible for sending Him to death, than He had for any of the others.
Judas was a human being, with all the same temptations any of us experience, as able as any of us to choose right from wrong. He was not pure evil and beyond redemption. His motives were his own and almost certainly revolved around greed and avarice rather than a desire to see Jesus reveal Himself to the world. I believe Judas, like so many of us, reached the point he did through a series of small steps rather than one giant leap. His willingness to betray the Savior may have begun when he was tasked with holding the money bag and was tempted to help himself. Perhaps he was upset at not being part of the so-called inner circle. We will never know.
We can know this: every temptation he faced we have experienced. Every failure Judas went through, we have had at some time in our walk. The kiss he used to betray innocent blood we have used. But by the grace of God, any one of us, every one of us, have gone or will go. This too I know and believe; Judas was not beyond redemption. If he had made his way to the foot of the cross, even at that last hour of the Savior’s life, if he had sought forgiveness, Judas, like the repentant thief hanging next to Jesus, would have found himself in Paradise when his life was over.
What does that tell you today? No matter the extent of sin to which any of us may have sunk, there is still redemption at the foot of the cross. Be encouraged; the Master hasn’t forsaken you and He will never count you as a lost cause. That’s what Easter is all about.
Now go take on your world. - Bill