Day 31- He Offers Forgiveness

Jesus had sent His disciples to find the man with a pitcher of water and tell him, “The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” When they all come to the upper room they recline around the table together. The air no doubt is buzzing with the excitement of the feast and festivities of Passover week. It is here that Jesus reveals that one of them will betray Him. John was close enough to lean back upon the chest of Jesus and Judas was close enough for Jesus to pass him a morsel of bread. The significance of one of them on His left and one of them was on His right is the difference between who was called, “the one in whom Jesus loved” and the other, “the one who would betray him.” As I searched out this passage my findings were interesting, namely that in that day and culture if one was able to lean back he would have to be on the right of the host. John was on Jesus’s right. On His left was Judas. What is so amazing, is that this place on the left of the host, Judas the betrayer was in a place of honor.

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.

John 13:23-26

Jesus makes it very clear in the surrounding verses that He knows what is going to happen. He wasn’t taken by surprise. In fact, character reveals the truth of who He is. He is God in the flesh.

Look at this verse from Romans 2:4, in The Living Bible reveals Jesus’s heart perfectly: Don’t you realize how patient he is being with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see that he has been waiting all this time without punishing you, to give you time to turn from your sin? His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.

Jesus put His betrayer in the seat of honor and revealed that He knew what he was going to do. It was an act of kindness and love toward Judas. He offers forgiveness. How many of us would give our betrayer a seat at the table, let alone, the seat of honor? Jesus draws the double-crosser close through a single cross act. – Tweet That!

PRAYER: God, You gave a seat of honor to the least and the lowest. That gives me hope because I can be pretty low myself. Thank you for drawing me toward you when I sin. Your love amazes me. 

Have you betrayed someone? Have you been running from your sin ever since? Its time to come close. Jesus already paid for it. The cross makes you clean.

Thanks for Listening,

Starla