Have you ever had someone wrong you, maybe it was something that was pretty painful, something that to this very day still hurts you? Now imagine that you knew 3 years prior to them actually hurting you how it would all turn out. That one day they would lie, cheat, steal, that they would betray you and that you would be spending everyday with that person for the next 3 years. During those 3 years you would listen to them tell you how much they loved you, how much they respected you, how much they would do just about anything for you. As a matter of fact they would be the first person to tell you no matter what happens in life…..there is one thing you could always count on, and it was them.
How difficult would it be to hear those words when you knew how it would all end? The life and death of Jesus is remarkable for so many reasons. But what strikes me more these days is how much Jesus knew about his death. Jesus knew 2 things for sure, that he would die on a cross and that the people that were closest to him would walk away he needed them most.
Mark 14:29 Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not." 30 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times." 31 But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you."
Matthew 26:14 14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”
Jesus knew, but what strikes me is what happens the day before both Judas betrays and Peter denies.
John 13… 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
I mean think about it. He got on his knees, took the foot of the man who told Jesus you are my very best friend, I would take a bullet for you and when Jesus needed him most told everyone, I don’t who he is…
He would clean the feet of the man who would be willing to sell out his friend to death for 30 silver coins maybe $3,000 in our day.
Jesus knew and still went to the cross, he knew and still washed their feet, he knew and still called them friends. And he knows you. He knows what you’ve done, he knows how many times you walked away, how many times you sold out, how many times you betrayed His trust for a few silver coins. He knows.
But our problem is we spend a lifetime running away, pretending as if he doesn’t, as if it doesn’t matter. We don’t trust and each and every day we don’t trust it’s no different than Peters denial or Judas' betrayal. We watch him get on His knees and wash our feet only to get up and kick Him back with the same feet He just washed.
Good Friday is a moment for us to come clean, there is no new beginning, no new life without a willingness to admit our faults. Without a willingness to put to death our pride, our arrogance, our selfishness, and the most challenging part, a willingness to FORGIVE! This may seem impossible but there is no new beginning unless we are willing to forgive. Jesus watched you deny Him and Betray Him and still forgave you. And we can only forgive because we were first forgiven.
Close your eyes, think about one thing that you have done where you have walked away from God, now picture God forgiving you for that. Now picture the person who has betrayed you, and say “God because of how you have forgiven me, I now forgive…” Without forgiveness there is no new beginning!
How difficult would it be to hear those words when you knew how it would all end? The life and death of Jesus is remarkable for so many reasons. But what strikes me more these days is how much Jesus knew about his death. Jesus knew 2 things for sure, that he would die on a cross and that the people that were closest to him would walk away he needed them most.
Mark 14:29 Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not." 30 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times." 31 But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you."
Matthew 26:14 14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”
Jesus knew, but what strikes me is what happens the day before both Judas betrays and Peter denies.
John 13… 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
I mean think about it. He got on his knees, took the foot of the man who told Jesus you are my very best friend, I would take a bullet for you and when Jesus needed him most told everyone, I don’t who he is…
He would clean the feet of the man who would be willing to sell out his friend to death for 30 silver coins maybe $3,000 in our day.
Jesus knew and still went to the cross, he knew and still washed their feet, he knew and still called them friends. And he knows you. He knows what you’ve done, he knows how many times you walked away, how many times you sold out, how many times you betrayed His trust for a few silver coins. He knows.
But our problem is we spend a lifetime running away, pretending as if he doesn’t, as if it doesn’t matter. We don’t trust and each and every day we don’t trust it’s no different than Peters denial or Judas' betrayal. We watch him get on His knees and wash our feet only to get up and kick Him back with the same feet He just washed.
Good Friday is a moment for us to come clean, there is no new beginning, no new life without a willingness to admit our faults. Without a willingness to put to death our pride, our arrogance, our selfishness, and the most challenging part, a willingness to FORGIVE! This may seem impossible but there is no new beginning unless we are willing to forgive. Jesus watched you deny Him and Betray Him and still forgave you. And we can only forgive because we were first forgiven.
Close your eyes, think about one thing that you have done where you have walked away from God, now picture God forgiving you for that. Now picture the person who has betrayed you, and say “God because of how you have forgiven me, I now forgive…” Without forgiveness there is no new beginning!
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