Scripture

“I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

Observation

The leading priests and elders meet early in the morning to plan Jesus’ death. They tie Him up and take Him to Pilate.

Judas regrets his decision to betray Jesus. He hadn’t realised that they intended to kill him. He tries to return the money and reverse the deal, but the priests will not have it. Judas throws the money down on the floor and then goes and hangs himself.

The priests decide that they cannot put the money back into the Temple treasury as it was payment for murder, so they decide to buy a field to be used as a cemetery.

Application

When Judas realised that he had participated in the death of Jesus, he was struck be remorse. He tried to stop the process, but having no further value to the authorities, he was powerless to change anything.

Judas recognised too late that he had sinned. The consequences of his sin continued relentlessly, as they often do. The only thing left for Judas to do was to kill himself.

If only he had turned to the Lord and asked for forgiveness. Even this sin would have been forgiven.

Instead, Judas allowed his feelings of guilt to be the final word.

God’s word of grace is always greater than our sin.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the awesome power of your grace. There is no sin that you will not forgive if only we will come to you in humility and repentance. Amen.

Scripture

Suddenly Jesus’ words flashed through his mind, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.

Observation

While Jesus is undergoing a travesty of a trial in the high priest’s house, Peter is sitting outside. Some servant girls identify Peter as a follower of Jesus. Peter denies knowing Him.

Later some other bystanders come over to Peter and say they can tell by his Galilean accent that he must be a disciple of Jesus. He again denies it. Then the rooster crows, and Peter remembers the words of Jesus that he would deny knowing Jesus three times.

Application

The prophecy of the Lord about Peter’s three- fold denial of Him brings a terrible burden of guilt to Peter. He weeps bitterly.

We may wonder if this prophecy was a help or a hindrance to Peter. Would he have been better off if Jesus had not warned him of his impending sin?

The Lord only does things that will bring about our greatest good. In warning Peter about this sin, Jesus was not just wanting to burden him with guilt. His intention was to prompt him to repent.

And repent he did! Peter fell for a moment, but he went on to follow Jesus faithfully for the rest of his life.

Judas was also warned about his sin, but he failed to repent, preferring to kill himself rather than facing the mercy of the Lord.

Prayer

Lord, when you convict me of my sin, either before or after the event, please give me grace to turn back to you. Amen.

Scripture

Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him, jeering, “Prophesy to us, you Messiah! Who hit you that time?”

Observation

Judas comes with a mob of men to arrest Jesus. They grab Him, but one of the disciples pulls out a sword and slashes off the ear of the High Priest’s slave.

Jesus says, “Those who use the sword will die by the sword.” He could call up thousands of angels to rescue Him, but then He would not die in order to fulfil the Scriptures.

Jesus is taken to Caiaphas the High Priest. They try to find a reason to have Jesus crucified, but even the false witnesses cannot agree on their lies.

They accuse Jesus of blasphemy and beat Him and spit on him.

Application

How awful it is that people should so seriously abuse the Son of God.

As I read this passage again just now, I am struck by the vile hatred in the hearts of these people. It is as if they are possessed by the devil, and this outpouring of hatred is satan working through them.

It is interesting (and sad) that they, the so-called Holy Men jeer at Jesus. They mock His ability to prophesy, but He knew beforehand who would slap Him.

They jeered at His role as the long- awaited Messiah, the Holy One of God who was to rescue God’s people. When the Messiah is before them, He wasn’t what they wanted or expected.

They mocked him, knowing that there really was something different about this man; something different about the miracles, the healings, the authority with which He taught.

So they spat in the face on the Son of God.

Prayer

Lord, I confess that there are times in my life when, in my sin and unbelief, I spit in your face. Please forgive me for my arrogance and anger towards you. Amen.

Scripture

“After I have been raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

Observation

Jesus tells them that evening they will all desert Him, the Shepherd will be struck, and the flock scattered. At the end of this, God will raise Him from the dead. Peter says that even if everyone else abandons him, he will stay. Jesus says that Peter will deny even knowing Him.

Jesus takes the disciples to Gethsemane, where He asks them to keep watch with Him while He prays. He goes on a little farther and prays to the Father.

He returns to the disciples three times, finding them asleep each time. Finally, He tells them to get up as the betrayer has arrived.

Application

Even at this time of His impending death, Jesus is trying to point his disciples to His resurrection.

This is the Good News for each of us. Every follower of Jesus shares in His resurrection. Death is not the end of the story, but a new beginning, a portal into the new eternal life.

We still have to go through death to get to life, but we will get there.

Jesus endured the cross for the sole purpose of bringing us into right relationship with the Father. He paid the price, and we receive the gift of restoration.

Life on earth is messy, tainted at every level with sin and its consequences. Death is all around us, but it does not have the final word.

We have seen how the story ends. It is life not death, love not war, health not sickness. The victory is His. Hallelujah!

Prayer

Lord God, the victory belongs to you. Thank you for the promise of eternity. I put my trust in you today, knowing that at the last day you will raise me to eternal life. Amen.

Scripture

As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to his disciples saying, “Take this and eat, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many”

Observation

Jesus and His disciples celebrate the Passover. While they are eating the Passover meal, Jesus tells them one of them will betray Him. Each one asks if it is them, but Jesus indicates it will be Judas.

As they are eating, Jesus takes the bread and says, “This is my Body.” Then He takes the cup of wine and says, “This is my Blood.”

At the end of the meal, they sing a hymn and go to the Mount of Olives.

Application

Jesus takes the centuries old Passover celebration and applies it to Himself. He is the Passover Lamb, the one who takes away the sins of the world. He is the one who sets His people free from the bondage of sin and into the freedom of God- centred life.

Every week, our church celebrates Communion. We pause for a few minutes and put Jesus’ death on the cross right at the forefront of our thinking. Whatever we do in the rest of he service, and whatever happens in the rest of the week, it all revolves around the death of Jesus on the cross.

Prayer

Thank you Lord Jesus for dying for me and paying the price for my sins. As you gave your life for me, I give my life to you. Amen.

Scripture

“You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.”

Observation

Jesus warns His disciples that He will shortly be handed over to be crucified. At the same time, the leading priests and elders are meeting together to plot how they will capture Jesus and kill Him.

While Jesus is at the home of a man called Simon in Bethany, a woman comes in carrying an alabaster jar of perfume. She pours it over Jesus’ head. The disciples grumble about how the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor.

Jesus asks them why they are criticising her for doing a good thing for Him. The poor will always be with them, but she has poured out love for Jesus.

After this, Judas goes to the priests and agrees on a price to betray Jesus.

Application

In this short passage, we see some divergent attitudes to money and wealth.

Judas seems to have been interested in money for its own sake, as are many in the world today.

The unnamed woman used her wealth to pour out love and adoration on Jesus.

The disciples think that this money should have been used for something practical rather than “wasted” on Jesus.

The important thing underlying these reactions is the heart attitude towards Jesus. Sometimes we get lost in the need to keep the money coming in for our own needs or for our ministry, or we may forget that our primary mission os to honour Jesus, not to feed the hungry.

Christians can be critical of others for spending money on projects that they do not approve of. Why “waster” money on a building or a basketball court, when it could be used for what I think its important?

If somebody chooses to give money for a building project or a new car for their pastor, if they are doing it from a genuine love for the Lord, who am I to criticise?

Prayer

Lord, please give me grace to rejoice in every expression of worship and adoration of you. Amen.

Scripture

“And the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it for one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, then you were doing it for me!”

Observation

Jesus will sit on His throne in glory, and all the people of the earth will stand before Him. He will separate the people into two groups like a shepherd sorts his sheep from his goats.

Those on His right, the sheep, He will commend for their good works, for the deeds of service and kindness done to Jesus. They will profess ignorance of how they did this, but Jesus says that whatever they did for the least of His brothers and sisters they did for Him.

Similarly, the goats will be condemned for their negligence towards Jesus. They are also told that when they neglected the least of Jesus’ brothers and sisters they neglected Him.

Those who are declared unrighteous will go to eternal punishment, but those who are righteous will enter eternal life.

Application

Our attitude towards Jesus is shown by our attitude to the least of His brothers and sisters.

Some people say that for this reason we must serve everybody in order to serve Christ. This is not what is being described here. The brothers and sisters of Christ are His disciples. Together we are the Body of Christ, and so when a part is suffering, the true disciples will seek to reduce the pain of even the least important member.

If I claim to be a christian and remain indifferent to the suffering of the brothers and sisters of Christ, then my actions show that my words are incorrect.

Different people have different God-directed ways of expressing this. Some are passionate about orphans in Africa; some are directed toward prison ministry; still others to helping church members who are sick or permanently disabled.

Faith must be expressed in service, for servanthood is the pathway to greatness in the Kingdom of God.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to always be sensitive to the needs of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.

Scripture

“To those who use well what they are given even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”

Observation

The kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a long trip. He gives five bags of silver to one servant, three to another, and just one bag of silver to another. The first two servants work hard and invest the master’s money to double it. The third servant buries the master’s money in the ground.

The master returns, and the first two servants present him with his money which they have doubled. The third servant returns the original amount of money to the master.

The master commends the two servants and gives them more responsibility. The money is taken from the hapless third servant and given to the first one. The third servant is cast out of the household.

Application

We are used to seeing this parable in terms of our gifts and talents. But really it applies to every part of our lives- our time, money, abilities, opportunities, and so on.

Our whole life is to be dedicated to the Lord. Everything we have comes from Him, and belongs to Him.

Like the servant in the story, we do not own what has been given to us. We are managers on God’s behalf.

The issue is not whether I have a lot to offer to God. It is all about my desire to honour Him with what I do have.

Prayer

Lord, with you in the first place, there is no second place. Everything is subject to you. May my choices and my desires glorify your name. Amen.

Scripture

“Later when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’”

Observation

The Kingdom of heaven, Jesus tells us, is like ten bridesmaids waiting for the groom. Five were wise and took extra oil for their lamps, but five were foolish and did not take enough oil.

The bridegroom is delayed. When he arrives, late at night, the five foolish girls find they have run out of oil.

While the foolish bridesmaid are away buying oil, the bridegroom comes and takes the wise girls to the wedding feast. The foolish girls finally arrive, but they find the door is locked and they are not allowed in.

Application

This parable seems harsh, but the message is clear; if we are not ready, we will not be allowed to enter into the kingdom.

The sin of the foolish bridesmaids is that they were not ready for the bridegroom. They thought they had enough oil, but had not factored in a delay. Their own preparations were inadequate.

Many people think that their good deeds or occasional religious observances will get them there. They think that they are good enough for God.

We can never be good enough for God if that is the standard we want to be judged by.

The foolish bridesmaids should have known the bridegroom better. The wise ones made provision for the fact that the groom would be delayed. They knew him, and they knew he would stop to chat with his family and old school friends along the way. They were ready for the inevitable.

To enter God’s kingdom we have to know Jesus, the bridegroom. Your destiny does not depend on how good you are or how knowledgeable. You must know Jesus.

Prayer

Thank you Jesus for the gift of eternal life that comes from you. Amen.