SATURDAY 15th
John 13:21-38
NIV (vv21 and 38) – 21 ‘After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.’
38 ‘Then Jesus answered, Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!’
ESV (vv21 and 38) – 21 ‘After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.’
38 ‘Jesus answered, Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.’
When we are gathered as Church and have communion, we are remembering what Christ has accomplished for us, and we partake in anticipation for when he comes again. I think that corporate communion is one of the aspects of Church life that I and others have missed during this time of pandemic, yes we can do it through the video, but it is not the same as being physically together sharing in this simple meal that Christ has called us to partake of.
This first instance of communion as Jesus inaugurated it with his disciples must have been an incredible moment, except that it was at this meal, that Jesus made an announcement that would shock them all, ‘. . . one of you is going to betray me.’ Imagine the scene, the twelve men had been with Jesus for around three years, travelling together, eating together, witnessing incredible miracles, and hearing the greatest teaching that has ever come from the lips of a man. And yet one of them was going to betray Jesus.
Then a few verses later we have one of them, Peter, making a bold statement, ‘. . . I will lay down my life for you.’ To which Jesus replies, ‘. . . I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three time.’
And Judas slipped out and soon came to Jesus with the kiss of betrayal and the cock crowed because Peter had denied Jesus three times.
Two sad experiences within a few verses of Scripture, the betrayal, and a denial.
How awful to have been revealed as the one who would betray Jesus and to actually go out and do it and how awful to be told you would deny him three times and still go out and do it.
Sadly, Judas is not the only one who has betrayed Jesus, and Peter is not the only one who has denied him. Many have committed their lives to Jesus and followed him until something has happened that has caused them to question their faith, and suddenly they betray Jesus by the new direction they take in life or deny him by returning to their old way of life.
During this time of pandemic the Devil would love to have turned the eyes of believers away from Jesus, he would love to bring them to a place of betrayal or denial, he would love to distract them in their walk of faith. Because of the inability to be able to come together as gathered Church over the last few months I wonder how many have begun to neglect spiritual disciplines, how many have perhaps not even sought to use the means available on-line to have some sort of fellowship, and maybe even have begun to drift away and their present situation may be one of denial or even a betrayal of the Lord Jesus Christ? I close this devotion with a prayer:
‘God keep us, may we remain close to Jesus, may we never betray him or deny him, but grant us the faith and desire to continue to follow, whatever our circumstance and whatever the cost, may we cling closely to the one who clung to the cross to save us and bring us into the family and household of God. If there should be any among us that have begun to drift, draw them back again, so that together we may continue to serve you as Church together for the glory of God.’