Saturday, December 15, 2012

DAY 250 - Your Choice: to become Peter or Judas! (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)



Today's Reading: Matthew 26: 26-35

**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Matthew 26: 26-35

Bible Study

     With the betrayal of Judas in the beginning, the powerful way of Jesus celebrated the Passover in the middle and the prophecy of Peter's denying Jesus at the end. The whole passage from verse 17 to 35 has become a most challenging passage for us to think of. Why? Let's hear what N.T. Wright says:
     Jesus' action at the Last Supper was, you see, the equivalent in symbolic language of those sayings about the son of man being handed over, and giving his life as a ransom for many(20:28).  Somehow, identifying the bread and the wine with his body and his blood, and inviting his followers to share it and find in it the gift of forgiveness of sins, of new life, of God's kingdom - somehow this action had then, and still has today, a power beyond words.  A power to touch and heal parts of our broken and messy lives.  A power to tell the world around that Jesus is Lord.
     But, perhaps because that power always remains mysterious, and never in our own control, many people found then and find still that it's all too much.  The disciples, instead of being heartened and encouraged, were all about to be scattered, as Jesus went alone to face the darkest night of the world.  Peter, big, strong, blustering Peter, was about to be reduced to a spluttering, lying, weeping fool.  Perhaps that tells us something, too, about the power of Jesus' action.  Perhaps when it starts to have its effect the first sign is that we learn just how weak and needy we are.  

     Well, Judas betrayed Jesus and Peter denied Jesus. Do you think that Judas is worse than Peter? Are you sure? What is the real difference between Judas and Peter? Let me give you a hint: Jesus is Lord! 
   
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"




Spiritual Journal


     What I heard from Jesus today is: Your choice: to become Peter or Judas!

     What I got from Jesus today is an invitation to our confession of how weak and needy we are. A confession that we can deny Jesus or even betray Jesus when we are in confusion or in a mess as those apostles of Jesus were.

     I don't see any difference between Judas and Peter. They both did so wrongly. The difference is that Peter repented and cleansed by the blood of Jesus just as Jesus told them in the Passover dinner. Peter made a choice to have Jesus as his Lord again. Judas, on the other hand, insisted on his own way so as to follow Satan as his lord lording him to follow the path of darkness and death, eternal death! What a waste!

     Jesus is Lord! If Jesus is your Lord then you would be willing to be under the chains of command Jesus prepares for you. You will be obedient to the leadership of your home church to protect and build up Jesus' body. You won't betray or deny those leaders that Jesus anointed and appointed to lead you. You will appreciate their effort and offer everything you have got to build up the body of Christ and that is your home church. 

     What is your choice? 

Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to be willing to follow you and obey your command that you are our Lord.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.



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