Christian Reflection and Prayer

Lenten Meditation

Jesus' Arrest

Scripture:

Read John 18:1-12.

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

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.

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.

Lutheran Hour Ministries

The High Priestly Prayer

Lenten Meditation

Read John 17.

TEXT: "When Jesus had spoken these
words, He lifted up His eyes to heaven,
and said, 'Father, the hour has come;
glorify Your Son that the Son may
glorify You'" (John 17:1).


Jesus has finished His Last Supper
and offers a special prayer before
leading His disciples to the Garden
of Gethsemane. We call it the High
Priestly Prayer because Jesus our
great High Priest offers prayers for
Himself, His apostles, and all who
believe in Him.

Jesus first prays that God the Father
would glorify Himself through Jesus'
coming death. The Roman cross was
never connected with glory; it was a
symbol of shame and dishonor.
St. Paul would call it a "stumbling
block to the Jews" and "foolishness
to the Gentiles" (1 Corinthians 1:22).
The Jews stumbled over the idea that
God would let His own Son suffer
and die on a cross, rather than sit in
glory on a throne. The Gentiles thought
it foolishness that you could receive
salvation through someone else's
execution.

Jesus prays to His Father to keep
His eleven disciples in His Name.
He is about to leave this world, so
He asks the Father to keep them in
faith, that believing they may share
the one true Gospel, which brings
salvation by God's grace through
faith for Jesus' sake.

The final part of Jesus' prayer
touches us, and all who have heard
and believed the words of the apostles.
May we glorify Him by trusting in
Jesus as our only Savior from our sin
and death, and tell others of His great
and incomparable love.

PRAYER:

Lord God, as You glorified Your
Son Jesus Christ through His death
and resurrection, keep us in Your
Name through this true faith, and
bless us to share it with all those
around us. In Jesus' Name.
Amen.

Lutheran Hour Ministries

Lenten Meditation

Washing an Unclean Disciple

Read John 13:1-20.

TEXT: "... (Jesus said) 'You are clean,
but not every one of you.' ..." (John 13:10b).

Jesus has preached His last message
to the crowds. Now He spends one final
night before His suffering and death with
His disciples in the upper room,
preparing them for what is about to happen.

In the middle of supper Jesus does
something totally unexpected. Taking
off His outer garments He goes around
the table washing the disciples' feet one
by one, the way the lowliest slave in the
household would. It is a demonstration
of His absolute humility, love and care-a
demonstration He will repeat for the whole
world the next day on the cross.

For Peter it is too much. He objects and
receives a firm correction from Jesus:
"If I do not wash you, you have no share
with Me." Then Peter goes to the other
extreme asking Jesus to wash all of him.
Jesus points out that the one who has
had a bath does not need to bathe again,
only to wash the part of him that is unclean.

Jesus is pointing to Judas, the one who
has abandoned his Lord and become
unclean and is even now awaiting the
chance to betray Him. The other eleven
are forgiven, cleansed of their sins because
they still walk in the light by faith; Judas
has rejected that light and walks in darkness.
Very gently Jesus reaches out to His lost
disciple in an unforgettable demonstration
of His love, forgiveness and acceptance. It's
a demonstration He wants Judas to remember
when he is gripped by guilt and remorse for
what he is about to do.

PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, forgive my wandering heart.
Help me to see Your great love for me and
remember what You have done to save me.
Amen.

Lutheran Hour Ministries