November 10, 2017. Luke 22, John 13

In Order.  Hurt & Betrayed

Betrayal and hurt are some of the hardest things to get past, especially when it is done by someone we love and have trusted for a very long time. It is not easy and we may question why.  But it is how we react that matters.  The sting of betrayal is not easy to soothe, but we have an amazing example of how to deal with it by looking to Jesus.

When Jesus is betrayed and arrested, he knew that Judas had already chosen to betray and even called him out on it, in an indirect way. 

John 13:21

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.”

And then there is Peter who says he will go to prison and even death with him, but the Lord tells him that instead he will deny him three times before the rooster crows. 

John 13:37-38

Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

Imagine how that must have felt for Jesus. Knowing that the men that have traveled with you, studied under you, become your friends and allies, the men who you poured your life into, that they were going to betray you and turn their backs on you.  Can you imagine the hurt and disappointment? And yet he loved them so much that he sacrificed his life for them and us. 

We aren’t perfect, we are sinners and we will let God down, probably on a daily basis.  But are we aware of that or have we grown calloused and hard? Jesus left the disciples with one final command: to love one another.

John 13:34

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

You know that there are going to be people in your life who are going to betray you, they are going to hurt you, but how you react is what is going to be remembered. Jesus never stopped loving those men, even after being betrayed, denied, beaten, and ultimately crucified on a cross.  He continued to love every single one of them.