And It Was Night
Opening Prayer
Before reading further, still your mind, quiet your heart. Prepare yourself to meet with God through his Word.
Read John 13:18–30
18 “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’
19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”
21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? Have you ever betrayed a friend?Night had come, and under cover of darkness Judas set out on his diabolical mission (30). Jesus had known it would be Judas who would betray him (18,19) even though he had walked with him, eaten with him and spent considerable amounts of time with him. The disciples, though, were clueless about Jesus’ statements (28) and Judas’s actions (29). As we know from our own experiences, not everyone who claims to follow Jesus is actually following Jesus. Have you ever felt let down or even betrayed by a Christian and you just hadn’t seen it coming?
Jesus had encouraged people to walk in the light while he was present (12:35,36). He had taught the people and performed miracles in the open and had entered Jerusalem visible to all. But Judas’s actions would be carried out at night, hidden from public view in secretive shadows. Jesus came to be and bring light and called us to do likewise (Matt. 5:14). He has called us to act in ways diametrically opposed to Judas’s manipulation, coercion and betrayal. As followers of Jesus, our light shining should mean we love others, act faithfully, speak truthfully and shun all forms of deceit.
Apply
In what ways today can you consciously be a light to those around you? What could you do to demonstrate loving faithfulness?
Closing prayer
Father, teach me to be true to You—teach me to be true in all of my relationships as I model the Christ-life.
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