Christian Reflection and Prayer

"Before the High Priest"

Lenten Devotion

"When He had said these things, one of the officers standing
 by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, 'Is that how you answer
the high priest?'" (John 18:22).

Read John 18:13-14, 19-24.

After His arrest, the guards bring Jesus to Annas. This former
Jewish high priest had been deposed by the Roman governor in
AD 15. His five sons had each taken a turn succeeding him
and now his son-in-law Caiaphas is high priest.

Annas questions Jesus about His disciples and His teaching, but
Jesus' silence protects them. So Annas turns to Jesus' teachings.
The high priest hopes he can trip up the Son of God and find a
basis for a charge against Him.

Jesus will have nothing to do with this. He has always been honest
with the Jewish authorities, never saying anything in private He
didn't say in public. He tells the high priest, "Ask those who have
heard Me." That leads an officer of the high priest to strike Him with
his hand.

At this point you might expect Jesus to meekly take the abuse, but
He doesn't. He turns to the officer and confronts him, "Why did you
strike Me?" Again, we see Jesus completely in control. He stops the
proceedings to call the officer to explain why he struck Him.

Annas showed he was willing to ignore the truth and twist it against
Jesus. Is integrity and truth important to you like it was to Jesus?
Or are we willing to distort the truth if it goes to our advantage?

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You humbled Yourself to be struck by an officer when
You had only told the truth. Forgive us for setting aside Your truth
when we don't think it is convenient. Give us faith, courage and trust
to do what is right in Your eyes. Amen.

Written by Rev. Wayne Palmer

Lenten Devotion

"The servant girl at the door said to Peter, 'You also are not one
of this Man's disciples, are you? ..." (John 18:17a).

Read John 18:15-18, 25-27.

Peter has no reason to be in the high priest's courtyard. Jesus
already told the disciples what the outcome of His trial would be.
But Peter wants to see for himself, so he enters the courtyard
and waits with the guards in the darkness to learn the outcome
of the trial.

But Peter can't hide. He is recognized at the door by a servant
girl, near the fire started by the guards to warm themselves, and
finally by a relative of the soldier whose ear Peter had cut off.
With his life in peril and no way of escape, Peter's courage melts
away and he swears oaths and calls down curses on himself as
he tries to distance himself from Jesus of Nazareth.

How often are we guilty of Peter's sin? One moment we profess
our loyalty to Jesus, the next we deny Him by what we say and
do. We forget the price He paid to set us free.

The crow of the rooster brought Peter back to Jesus' words. With
shame and pain he recalled the prophecy Jesus had made, "The
rooster will not crow till you have denied Me three times." He went
out and wept bitterly.

We share Peter's weakness. We are so confident in our strength,
yet we stumble for the least reason into fear, unbelief and self-
preservation. But Jesus paid the full price for our sins of denial,
and for His sake we are free.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, with shame I admit the countless times I have denied
You. Forgive my sin and strengthen me in true faith, that rejoicing
in Your salvation, I may fearlessly tell others of Your great salvation.
Amen.

Written by Rev. Wayne Palmer

Lenten Devotion

"Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to Him, came forward
and said to them, 'Whom do you seek?'" (John 18:4).

Read John 18:1-12.

Jesus has led His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. Out of
the darkness we see lanterns and torches winding their way across
the Mount of Olives toward the Garden. Judas leads Roman soldiers
and Jewish officers. Jesus knows what is about to happen. But He
doesn't cower in the corner; He goes out to them and asks whom
they are seeking. They reply, "Jesus of Nazareth."

Jesus answers with three short words, "I am He," and the power of
His words knock Judas, the soldiers and the officers backward.
Firmly in control of the situation, Jesus orders the guards to let His
disciples go. The soldiers obey, and they flee away into the dark.

Not only did Jesus protect His disciples, He also made one last
attempt to reach Judas. In the dark hour to come, when Judas
would be overwhelmed with guilt, Jesus wanted him to remember
this moment. Jesus was not a helpless victim swept away by Judas'
kiss. Jesus was in complete control. He permitted Himself to be
arrested, tried, condemned and crucified. He could have stopped it
at any time. But because of His love for the Father and for each of
us, He will not end it but carry it through to its completion-and our
ultimate salvation.

Because He loves us so much when those powers of darkness
were trying their worst, so He also loves us when those powers of
darkness come after you in your life.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for stepping forward to suffer death for our
sins, even death by crucifixion. Give us courage and confidence in
the dark hours of our lives to remember that You are still completely
in control. Amen.

Written by Rev. Wayne Palmer