[Jesus] replied, "[The one who will betray me] is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me."
—Mark 14:20 NLT
How sad Jesus' words must have been to the apostles when they first heard them. How sad these words must also have been later as they remembered them. What a powerful reminder to us of our ability to falter and to let our Lord down. Our church, our fellowship of believers, will often have a "Judas" in our midst — someone who betrays Jesus and his disciples for some kind of personal gain. While we may not view our sins as being as bad as Judas', we have all let the Lord down and betrayed him at some point in our lives (Romans 3:23), and sin is sin. Thank God that he is forgiving. Thank the Lord Jesus that he paid the price to ransom us back from our weakness, hypocrisy, betrayal, and failure. Let's use our time at the Lord's Table to remind us of the price for our forgiveness, of our vulnerability to letting the Lord down, and of the opportunity we have to live passionately for him. Most of all, let's remember that we can begin again, fresh and forgiven, and we must not let Satan win the battle when we falter. Let's get back up, ask for the Lord's forgiveness, receive his cleansing, and faithfully live for his glory in the future.
LORD of all heaven and earth, my Abba Father, please help me to trust in your forgiveness and the Holy Spirit's power so that I will not be crushed by my failures and sins. Instead, as I repent and you cleanse me, please empower me to live vibrantly and faithfully for you. This is my heart's desire. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Ⓒ 1996-2020 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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—Mark 14:20 NLT
Key Thought
How sad Jesus' words must have been to the apostles when they first heard them. How sad these words must also have been later as they remembered them. What a powerful reminder to us of our ability to falter and to let our Lord down. Our church, our fellowship of believers, will often have a "Judas" in our midst — someone who betrays Jesus and his disciples for some kind of personal gain. While we may not view our sins as being as bad as Judas', we have all let the Lord down and betrayed him at some point in our lives (Romans 3:23), and sin is sin. Thank God that he is forgiving. Thank the Lord Jesus that he paid the price to ransom us back from our weakness, hypocrisy, betrayal, and failure. Let's use our time at the Lord's Table to remind us of the price for our forgiveness, of our vulnerability to letting the Lord down, and of the opportunity we have to live passionately for him. Most of all, let's remember that we can begin again, fresh and forgiven, and we must not let Satan win the battle when we falter. Let's get back up, ask for the Lord's forgiveness, receive his cleansing, and faithfully live for his glory in the future.
Today's Prayer
LORD of all heaven and earth, my Abba Father, please help me to trust in your forgiveness and the Holy Spirit's power so that I will not be crushed by my failures and sins. Instead, as I repent and you cleanse me, please empower me to live vibrantly and faithfully for you. This is my heart's desire. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Related Scripture Readings
Ⓒ 1996-2020 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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