Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotional for September 10-11 are written by Pastor Ulysses Wang who are now serving at Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco.
Devotional Thought for Today
John 13:21-30
“After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.”
Of all people, Jesus knew what this meant: “With friends like you, who needs enemies.” Maybe you can relate to it as well. Allow me to explain.
This passage follows closely on the heels of v.18 – “But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me’” – where Jesus explicitly connects the betrayal that He was about to experience with the fulfillment of Psalm 41:9. What is less obvious is the understanding that the act of eating bread together implies friendship, which David, the author of this particular psalm, makes clear from the first half of v.9 (which Jesus left out): “Even my close friend in whom I have trusted…”
What this should remind us of is the fact that Judas was a close friend of Jesus. It’s tempting to view the entirety of Judas’ life through the lens of his final act of betrayal. He’s the one with the shifty eyes, slicked-back hair and bad cheek scar. The only reason Jesus put up with this most obvious of villains was because He knew the role Judas was to play in the Father’s plan. I don’t believe this version of events to be true at all. Judas was Jesus’ friend; in fact, that’s what He called Judas – “Friend” (Matt. 26:50) – right after he kissed the Lord as a signal to those who came to arrest him. He was right alongside Jesus and the other disciples when they ministered hour after hour to the masses, enduring tiredness and hunger. When Jesus had no place to lay His head, neither did He. He was responsible enough to be entrusted with the moneybag. He talked, walked and laughed with Jesus.
I say all this to make a point – Jesus was betrayed by a friend, not an arch-nemesis out to get Him from the beginning, and if you’ve ever experienced the deep pain that comes from this kind of betrayal, you are not alone. In fact, He would experience betrayal several more times before His death: the rest of His disciples fled at His arrest; Peter denied knowing Him three times. Jesus knows what it’s like to be burned and burned bad.
William Blake once said, “It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.” I think there’s a lot of truth in that statement. Are you holding on to unforgiveness in your heart because of past sins committed against you? Were you wounded by a friend? A family member? A brother or sister in the church? Let us find comfort in our Savior, who is not unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but has experienced firsthand our pain and suffering. Ask Him for the power to forgive as He forgave and to release those who have hurt you from the grip of personal judgment.
Prayer: Jesus, You didn’t go to the cross solely through the work of the devil, but through the actions of a friend. Help me to move towards the power of forgiveness that is offered to me, as I seek to forgive as you forgave. Thank you that you do not belittle my past hurts, but rather, that You empathize with the reality of my pain. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Luke 20-21
We know historically, that the washing of feet was the most menial chore reserved for the lowest slave in the house. In fact, it was almost considered a breach of human dignity to force someone to wash the feet of guests; and because of that fact, Jewish servants were exempt from this awful duty. In a city like Jerusalem, it would have been a common thing to dump your refuse on the streets; and so you could just imagine the grime and filth that would have found its way under people’s feet. It was so bad that some of the rabbinic teaching advocated that only Gentile slaves be used to wash feet.
Leighton Ford, the brother-in-law of Billy Graham, in his book Transforming Leadership states that the two words to best summarize the earthly ministry of Jesus are: authority and power. Stephen Neil, in his study on the life of Christ, concurs with this assessment and writes: “The Jesus who strides through the Gospels is a man of immense and terrifying power. He is the master of every situation. He speaks with authority and not as the scribes. He is never at a loss for an answer… He knows how to draw men and women to himself in a devotion which will prove stronger than persecution and death.”
We often don’t look for light until it is completely dark. In the book The Fellowship of the Rings, there is a powerful scene where the Queen of the Elves gives Frodo the power of the stars. As he is entering the greatest challenge of his life, she gives him the star of Earandil, the most beloved star of her people, and says to him, “May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.” JRR Tolkien, who was a devout Catholic, understood the significance of light in dark places, but more importantly, he understood the significance of the one true light when all other lights grow dim.
Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from September 5-11 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S. F. Mark, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), has been married to Mira for 20 years; they have two children, Jeremiah and Carissa. 
The Triumphal Entry is a fulfillment of a prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9, which reads, “Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion. Shout in triumph, o daughter of Jerusalem. Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble and mounted on a donkey.” It is significant that Jesus chose to ride into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. It’s a declaration that He is king, but unlike the kings of this world, His robe of royalty is in humility. In a strange paradox, the majesty of Christ is found in His humility, and it is this divine humility that makes Him so worthy of our worship.
In contemporary Christianity, extravagant worship is often equated with the extent and quality of its production. We assume a stage of good musicians accompanied by floodlights and special effects playing in front of a filled auditorium constitutes worship that is acceptable and worthy of God. Many of us enjoy these times of corporate worship and I would certainly include myself as a fan of church services that are well put together. However, Christ seems to prefer something far more intimate and personal than just a good performance in his name.
When I was a teenager, I would drive very fast, but when I was pulled over once for speeding, I immediately regretted breaking the law. But why did I regret it? I regretted getting caught. I regretted the possibility of a fine and traffic school. I regretted that I would be yelled at by my parents. But to be honest, I didn’t really regret endangering other people. I didn’t regret my “offense.”
In the city, the strongest sensations may not be the sights but the smells. An interesting mixture of something rotting and urine constantly reminds you of where you are. Our preference is to avoid such unpleasant or ugly things, but life is not found in an artificially sterile environment—neither is glory.
Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. [18] Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, [19] and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. [20] So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. [21] Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” [23] Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” [24] Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” [25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, [26] and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” [27] She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Love can be described in many ways, but our culture tends to define it in terms of safety and pleasure. A loving spouse will do everything in his power to provide security and positive emotions. A loving parent will do everything in her power to reduce the risk of injury or pain. Of course safety and pleasure are related to love, but they do not define love. God does.