Everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Day 4: The Last Supper And Judas
Wednesday
Mark 14:10-24 NLT
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. 11 They were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
13 So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ 15 He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” 16 So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.
17 In the evening Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 As they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.”
19 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one?”
20 He replied, “It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. 21 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
22 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.”
23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many.
We don't know many details about Judas, but as one of the Twelve, he had committed to following Jesus. He had received power and authority to preach and perform miracles like the other disciples. He had walked with Jesus, seen his miracles, and heard His teachings. To the onlookers, Judas was one of Jesus' chosen people in His ministry.
Here we can see that you can be in Jesus' presence, you can hear his word, you can attend church, and still not allow Him to transform and change your life. Jesus can and wants to do a work in us, but we must do our part in welcoming Him in.
We also see that Jesus, being the all-knowing God, knew from the beginning that Judas would betray Him, yet still invited him to be with Him and be part of His ministry. Jesus gave him the same opportunities as everyone else to choose life and obedience. Jesus protected Judas and kept him safe from harm, up until the moment Judas rejected and betrayed him.
Until the last night, in the most intimate setting of the final supper, Jesus loved Judas. Jesus offered food to Judas, who was likely sitting next to him in a place of honor. Giving bread to another person was both an intimate act of friendship and an open display of honor. Jesus even washed the feet of his betrayer that day.
Jesus' perfect love extends even to those who don't love Him, and it is this kind of love that God calls us to extend to others. Jesus says that people will know we are his followers by the way we love others. If you have been transformed by Christ's love, even when you didn't deserve it, it's time to extend that same love to others so that they too may experience Christ's transforming love in their lives.
REFLECT: Have you allowed God to transform and change your life, or have you simply known about Him and not let Him impact you? Are you a spectator or a true follower of Christ? Have you welcomed Him into every area of your life? Who around you do you need to love better? Who do you find difficult to love? Are you being an example of Christ through the way you love and treat others?
Take a few minutes to think about this and right your reflections in a notebook or in your notes app.