Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Read Luke 22:47-48.
TEXT: But Jesus said to him, "Judas, would you
betray the Son of Man with a kiss?"
(Luke 22:48).

Jesus awakens His disciples. While He is telling
them to stay awake and pray, Jewish temple
guards come forward with Judas at the lead. They
come in force to maintain control, as they take
Jesus into custody. Their presence will be
especially necessary if word should get out to the
great crowd of Jewish pilgrims, hanging on Jesus'
words in the temple.

The large number of temple guards is worthless.
If Jesus didn't want to be arrested, He could
overpower all of them with a word, or He could call
on His Father to send an angel army 72,000 strong.
Instead, He submits to His Father's will. But He
does not remain silent. He speaks one last time to
Judas, trying to awaken his conscience. "Judas,
are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" The
betrayer's hypocrisy is striking, using something as
familiar as a kiss and making it the instrument by
which he would deliver Jesus over to His enemies.

But Judas does not see his guilt or his shame. He
kisses Jesus in order to distinguish Him from the
other disciples. But even this is unnecessary. Jesus
is already stepping forward to put Himself in their hands.

This must have been one of the most painful things
for Jesus. In this bitter betrayal, one that He loved
now turned against Him with a simple kiss. But that
was not all. Jesus knew Judas wouldn't recognize the
terrible thing he just did, and later he would rush off in
despair and take his own life.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, how sharp the pain You suffered as Judas
whom You loved betrayed You with  a kiss! Forgive me
the times I thoughtlessly betray You.    Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

Scripture:

Read Luke 22:39-46.
TEXT: And being in an agony He prayed more
earnestly (see Luke 22:44).

After the Last Supper we read, "He came out
and went, as was His custom, to the Mount of
Olives." Judas knew that custom well. He knew
where he could lead the temple police to arrest
Jesus. By choosing this place and not a
location unknown to Judas, Jesus is already
surrendering Himself to His Father's plan.

Jesus instructs His disciples to pray. He then
withdraws from them, kneels down and prays,
"Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from
Me." This cup is God's furious wrath at all our sins.
Drinking down that punishment will be bitter and
deadly. But Jesus submits Himself to His
Father's grand design, "Not My will, but Yours,
be done."

The Father sends an angel to strengthen Jesus'
body. He did the same after Jesus fasted 40 days
in the wilderness, being tempted by Satan. This
angel strengthens and renews Jesus' human mind
and body to fully face the horror of the wrath of God
coming upon Him.

But the struggle is not yet over. Jesus still dreads
the cup the Father holds out for Him. We see the
intensity of Jesus' struggle as Luke the physician
writes, "His sweat became like great drops of blood
falling down to the ground." Tiny blood vessels under
the skin can rupture under extreme stress, permitting
blood to mingle with the sweat. The struggle lasts for
hours before Jesus is finally at peace. He rises to His
feet, ready to drink the cup down to its dregs.

THE PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, Your bitter sufferings in the garden
prepared You for the fiery trial to come. Give me grace
and strength to pray to You in the darkest hours of my
life, for my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

Scripture:

Read Luke 22:31-34.
TEXT: (Jesus said) "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan
demanded to have you, that he might sift you like
wheat" (Luke 22:31).

Jesus predicted Judas' betrayal. Now He turns to
Peter, whose name means rock. But this time
Jesus doesn't call him "Peter"; instead, He repeats
his name, "Simon, Simon," to show His deep concern.

Jesus draws back the spiritual curtain to expose the
devil, who stands behind all that Jesus will soon suffer:
Judas' betrayal, Peter's denial, the murderous vote of
the Jewish leaders, the cowardice of the Roman
governor, and the cruelty of the Roman soldiers. In
Peter's case Satan demanded that God hand him
over to be crushed and sifted. But where Satan
demands, Jesus prays. He tells Peter, "I have prayed
for you that your faith may not fail."

Peter's faith will be sorely tried in the hours to come,
but Jesus makes a bold and comforting prophesy,
"When you have turned again, strengthen your
brothers." Peter's pride and self-confidence will be
crushed and sifted like wheat, but the Holy Spirit will
safeguard his faith to keep it from failing.

Jesus speaks of the future; Simon speaks of the
present. He is proud and confident that he will not fail.
He is ready to go with Jesus to prison or even to death.
So Jesus explicitly predicts his coming denials: "I tell
you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you
deny three times that you know Me."

The Son of God's prophetic word trumps Peter's
confident self-assurance. But it will take the rooster's
crow and a telling look from Jesus to convince Peter of
that fact-and to recall him to repentance, the first step
to forgiveness and restoration.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, like Peter, sometimes I'm confident in my
strength and abilities. At other times I'm utterly
defeated. Forgive my sins and fill me with Your Spirit,
that I may walk in Your great strength. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)