He also had to endure the agony of betrayal. Strangely, the disciples genuinely asked Jesus, “Lord, is it I?”—as though any of them could be the betrayer. Really? I mean, really? Wouldn’t Andrew or James or Matthew know his own heart well enough to say, “No way”? And yet, I have betrayed His Lordship in word, thought, and deed.
Celebrating the Lord’s Supper was probably the disciples’ most intimate time with Jesus; yet in the following hours, all but John would sin against Him, including Peter. I too have sinned in taking the Lord Supper in an unworthy manner (1 Cor. 11:27-28).
The whole world grieved the injustice of Jesus’ death. The earth will continue to grieve until the wrong is righted when Jesus comes again with a new earth, free from sin and suffering—“when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay” (Rom. 8:21, NLT).
Before we move from the crucifixion to the resurrection and the new earth, let’s pause to remember Jesus’ purpose in literally dying—not just playing dead. His blood was shed, his body tortured, to pay the price for our sins. For without the shedding of blood, forgiveness was not possible (Heb. 9:22).
And He chose to die, an act of mercy and grace in God’s eternal plan of redemption. Now Christ is risen! In the words of our church’s choral Easter music, “Open your heart to the music of grace.”
“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:4-5, NKJV).
From King to King, all in one week. So what changed? An eternity for each of us who call Jesus Lord!
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